The Department of Defense (DOD) rejected Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser’s second request for the National Guard to be deployed to support illegal migrants arriving from the border, according to a copy of a letter reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
It would be “inappropriate” to deploy the D.C. National Guard to feed, transport, process and conduct other tasks that involve working directly with illegal migrants as the force has no training in those areas, the Monday letter stated.
Bowser first requested a deployment on July 19, which was rejected by the Pentagon on Aug. 4 for concerns it would have negative impacts on the force. She made her second attempt on Aug. 11.
The letter also cited nongovernmental organizations that “have the capacity to manage the current influx of migrants.”
It also said that the D.C. Armory, which Bowser asked to be used as a respite center, is not equipped to support the illegal migrants as it lacks air conditioning and efforts to resolve such issues would affect the force’s readiness. The Armory is used to host galas, sporting events and other large public gatherings.
The illegal migrants are taking buses Republican Govs. Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Ducey of Arizona are separately sending to the nation’s capital to send a message to the federal government about the border crisis.
Bowser wrote on Twitter Tuesday that she’s working to ensure that Washington will be a “humane setting” for the arriving illegal migrants, emphasizing her continued advocacy for “DC statehood” that would allow her to forgo DOD approval.
We are going to move forward with our planning to ensure that when people are coming through DC on their way to their final destination that we have a humane setting for them.
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) August 22, 2022
Over 1.9 million migrants have been encountered at the southern border between October and August, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.
Neither the Pentagon nor Bowser’s office responded to the DCNF’s requests for comment.
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