Rand Paul ‘All In’ on Deporting Criminal Illegal Immigrants but Opposes

We support our Publishers and Content Creators. You can view this story on their website by CLICKING HERE.

The Kentucky Republican said military involvement in deportations would be ‘a terrible image.’

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, said on Sunday that he’s in favor of President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for mass deportations of illegal immigrants but expressed strong opposition to using military assets for the task, saying it’s a job best left for law enforcement.

Paul was asked on CBS’s “Face The Nation” on Nov. 24 for his view on the incoming Trump administration’s possible use of the military to assist with deportations. The Kentucky Republican said that he’s fully supportive of the deportations, in particular of criminal illegal immigrants, but that using the military to do so would be bad optics.

“I will not support and will not vote to use the military in our cities,” he said. “I think it’s a terrible image.”

Trump recently confirmed that his administration would be prepared to declare a national emergency and use military assets to assist with a mass deportation as part of his election pledge to bolster border security and reverse the massive influx of illegal immigrants into the country under President Joe Biden.

Paul said he’s “all in” on the deportation plan in general, but advocated for using traditional domestic law enforcement, including the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Border Patrol.

“I’m 100 percent supportive of going after the 15,000 murderers, the 13,000 sexual assault perpetrators, rapists, all these people. Let’s send them on their way to prison or back home to another prison. So I would say, all-points bulletin, all in but you don’t do it with the Army because it’s illegal,” he said.

Asked specifically about the idea of deputizing the National Guard to assist with the removals, Paul acknowledged that there’s legal ambiguity around it.

“I don’t think it’s the best way to do it. It’s less clear whether that’s legal or illegal,” he said. “Typically, it has to be done at the behest of the governors. I still don’t like a militarization of police, whether it’s National Guard or Army.”

The National Guard has for years assisted with border security, though its support has mostly been limited to logistics such as erecting fencing or repelling illegal crossings.

Regarding the use of military assets, Paul expressed concern about the balance between effective enforcement and constitutional safeguards. He said domestic law enforcement agencies are better equipped to handle deportation while adhering to the Fourth Amendment’s protections, while involving military forces could erode public trust.

Asked for comment about Paul’s remarks, the president-elect’s nominee for White House Press Secretary and Trump transition team spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that Trump will fulfill his promises.

“President Trump will marshal every federal and state power necessary to institute the largest deportation operation of illegal criminals, drug dealers, and human traffickers in American history while simultaneously lowering costs for families,” Leavitt said. “The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail, like deporting migrant criminals and restoring our economic greatness. He will deliver.”

Meanwhile, a recent CBS/YouGov poll found that 57 percent of Americans are in favor of Trump’s plan to deport all immigrants who are in the country illegally. The poll also showed an overwhelming majority (82 percent) saying the task should be left for ICE and Border Patrol, with 64 percent expressing support for federal law enforcement agencies to do the job, while just 40 percent support military involvement in the mass deportation program.