Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that using the U.S. military as law enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico border violated the Constitution.
Partial transcript as follows:
RADDATZ: Let’s talk about the military, 1,500 on the way, or already there. There’s probably more to come. Those troops will be armed this time. First of all, your reaction to those military slides (ph) and – and the influx of troops going to the border and – and the idea that they are armed.
SLOTKIN: Yes, I mean, look, I think we’ve had multiple administrations who have sent uniformed troops, active-duty troops, to the southern border in support roles, right? According to our Constitution, you can go in supporting roles, logistics, driving, setting up facilities, setting up, you know, border locations, whatever. It’s very different when you cross the line into law enforcement.
Our military are not trained as law enforcement officers. They’ll be the first one to tell you that. That’s not why they got into service. And it’s also in violation of our Constitution. So, I think it’s very important that we keep that line.
We knew that the administration was going to use military aircraft to start sending people home. They – they are – were going to put that on TV. We knew that. But you’re coming right up to that line of logistics and support and law enforcement. If there’s people, as they say, that are criminals on those planes, who is the one enforcing order on those planes? You just become really close to it. So, it was something that I raised with Mr. Hegseth in his confirmation hearing. I just want to know, you know, not that you’re pledging an oath to Donald Trump, but you’re not going to use the uniformed military in ways that violates the Constitution and makes American citizens scared of their own military. That was – you know, we were scared of the British when they occupied us. We – we don’t want to repeat that. So, I’m watching that very, very closely.
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