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Military says Kirtland and Fort Bliss being considered to hold migrants
A 2021 aerial photo shows Fort Bliss鈥� Do帽a Ana Village, where Afghan refugees were screened and housed after being airlifted from the Middle East to the base in New Mexico.
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Military personnel say Kirtland Air Force Base and Fort Bliss are on the Trump administration鈥檚 list of military installations where thousands of undocumented immigrants could be held amid proposed mass deportations.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection official tamped down on the reports, however, saying no decision has been made and describing the rumblings as 鈥渇luff in the wind.鈥�
On Thursday, New Mexico鈥檚 all-Democratic congressional delegation sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, criticizing the plan to use the Albuquerque and El Paso-area bases and others 鈥渢o create a nationwide network of military detention facilities.鈥� The delegation鈥檚 letter was based on New York Times reporting from last month.
The dust-up comes as President Donald Trump repeatedly threatens mass deportation, a focal point of his campaign.
On Friday, Public Affairs Deputy Arturo Rodriguez, with the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, told the Journal that New Mexico bases were being considered 鈥渇or the feasibility to support up to 10,000 illegal aliens.鈥� Fort Huachuca in Arizona and an ICE facility in Montana were among others being tossed around as options.
鈥淲hat I can tell you now is that decision has not been made,鈥� he said, adding that the discussions and decisions were being made 鈥渁t higher echelons.鈥�
鈥淗ere at Fort Bliss, I think we鈥檝e been making the argument that the feasibility to support this is just not here,鈥� Rodriguez said, later adding, 鈥淚f we鈥檙e given an order, we鈥檙e told to execute. So at the end of the day, if Fort Bliss is chosen, 鈥楬ey, let me know what you want me to do.鈥� If it鈥檚 not chosen, then, cool.鈥�
To his knowledge, Rodriguez said, the Department of Defense, at the behest of Trump, would 鈥渋n about a week鈥� hand responsibility for the 鈥渕ission鈥� to the 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum, New York.
Emails, calls and questions to the 10th Mountain Division went unanswered.
The military public affairs units that did respond, from Kirtland Air Force Base and U.S. Northern Command, referred questions to the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Those entities did not respond.
A spokesperson who works under Northern Command said they had been fielding many calls and there was confusion on the issue. He said he didn鈥檛 think 10th Mountain would be tasked with the mission but also didn鈥檛 know who might.
In a joint letter to Hegseth, New Mexico鈥檚 congressional delegation wrote that 鈥渢his administration鈥檚 鈥榮olution鈥� to militarize immigration enforcement is abhorrent and inappropriately and unnecessarily creates a national security risk.鈥�
The delegation said that using military bases for detainment would divert DOD resources 鈥渁way from unit readiness鈥� and, in the case of Kirtland, could affect research 鈥� nuclear and otherwise 鈥� conducted on base.
Due to the sensitive nature of the facilities and missions on KAFB, housing families and children there would be 鈥渉ighly reckless and pose significant security risks,鈥� the letter states, adding that DOD resources should be instead put toward 鈥渂order security initiatives that curb illicit activity and fentanyl trafficking.鈥�
The delegation ended the letter, addressed to Trump and Hegseth, by saying, 鈥淲e urge you to consider the consequences of these potential actions.鈥�
