Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized Defense Department (DOD) civilian employees to aid Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operations at the southern border and with “internal immigration enforcement,” in some cases for no pay, according to a new memo released Monday.
DOD civilians can now travel to support DHS with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement, though it is unclear whether they would volunteer for such roles or be assigned to DHS activities. The memo did not specify what types of jobs they would be doing.
But Hegseth made clear that some individuals might not be paid for their work, noting that assignments “may be either reimbursable or non-reimbursable.”
The document, dated June 1, noted that the under secretary of Defense for personnel and readiness would provide further guidance.
“Protecting our homeland from bad actors and illegal substances has been a focus of the President and of the Secretary of Defense since Day One of this Administration,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement accompanying the memo.
“Whether on the border or in our communities, allowing qualified DoD civilian employees to support DHS will accelerate the progress already made by Service members in achieving our national security goals.”
The Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment from The Hill.
The memo comes amid the Trump administration’s increasing use of the military to aid in combatting illegal immigration and removing immigrants in the United States without legal status.
Last month, DHS requested 20,000 National Guard troops“to help carry out the President’s mandate from the American people to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia told The Hill at the time.
And just 11 days ago the Pentagon announced it was sending 1,115 additional active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, bringing the number of service members there close to 10,000.
But with Hegseth’s latest memo, it appears DOD civilians for the first time would be actively assisting in DHS immigration crackdown efforts, and possibly on their own accord.
He notes that in the case of a non-reimbursable detail assignment, it could be authorized “where the expected benefit of a detail would be comparable to training or development programs that otherwise would be conducted” at the Pentagon’s expense.
He instructs defense leaders to consider factors “such as whether the tasks to be carried out by employees during the detail are of a similar nature to the tasks those employees execute in the course of their normal duties; whether the detail would otherwise enhance the skills and further develop the employees professionally;” and the duration of the considered detail, which could impact to Pentagon is the employee is gone too long.
DHS reportedly requested DOD civilians be authorized to assist with its immigration enforcement mission.