Donald Trump to take military action to tackle 'migrant crisis'

Donald Trump is believed to be pushing ahead with his plans to ensure there is a concentrated military presence on the US/Mexico border.

The opinion-dividing POTUS has repeatedly stressed that his administration will be clamping down on migration in the US, promising to tackle one facet of crime by removing people who have entered the States from other countries illegally.

Recently, no less than 250 alleged criminals were transported to the notorious Terrorism Confinement Centre, or Cecot, “mega-prison” in El Salvador after Trump fast-tracked their deportations by invoking a piece of 18th century legislation – the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 – which was originally created in response to spying and sabotage during tensions with France.

And with Trump appearing to be sticking to his word in taking steps to tackle the issue of migration, his administration are reportedly looking to now kick things up a notch.

Reports suggest that the POTUS’ team is aiming to militarize and take control of a portion of the southern border, which the USA shares with Mexico.

According to the Washington Post, the plans would enable military personnel to temporarily hold migrants who try to cross the border illegally.

WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 03: U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (L) takes a question from a reporter in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on March 3, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, one of the largest manufacturers of semiconductor chips, plans to invest $100 billion in new manufacturing facilities in the United States. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“The move would turn the buffer zone into an expansive satellite military installation, potentially allowing a greater portion of the Defense Department’s mammoth budget to pay for President Donald Trump’s border crackdown while creating new legal jeopardy for those caught trying to slip into the country from Mexico,” officials explained to Washington Post.

The news outlet says this “buffer zone” would act as a kind of military base, giving soldiers the right to detain trespassers. Since military officials do not have the authority to arrest someone outside of a military base, it’s reported that they would only hold illegal immigrants if Customs and Border Protection officers (CBP) weren’t immediately available.

While this is not the first time Trump has floated the idea of militarizing the USA’s southern border, people would be well within their rights to take his word more seriously now.

During his first term in office, in 2018, Trump announced during a White House meeting with then defense secretary Jim Mattis: “We are going to be guarding our border with our military. That’s a big step.”

Indeed, news outlets in the US at the time claimed that Trump was sincere with his proposal, but they never came to fruition. Now, with another four years with which to play, it makes sense to assume that Trump will do his utmost to realize those ambitions he didn’t have time for the first time around.

Of course, tackling the border issue isn’t the only thing the POTUS has on his plate. So far, Trump has put pen to paper on a whole host of executive orders, effectively turning the US on its head and threatening to sour their relations with a number of other countries.

What do you make of Trump’s first two months in office? What do you think about his plans to militarize the southern border? Let us know in the comments box.