CRS INSIGHT
History of Use of U.S. Military Bases to House
Immigrants and Refugees
July 26, 2018 (IN10937)
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Lawrence Kapp
Barbara Salazar Torreon
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Lawrence Kapp, Specialist in Military Manpower Policy (lkapp@crs.loc.gov, 7-7609)
Barbara Salazar Torreon, Senior Research Librarian (btorreon@crs.loc.gov, 7-8996)
Background
On June 20, 2018, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order
that states "It is also the policy of this
Administration to maintain family unity, including by detaining alien families together where appropriate and consistent
with law and available resources" and that directs the Secretary of Defense to "take all legally available measures to
provide to the Secretary [of Homeland Security], upon request, any existing facilities available for the housing and care
of alien families, and shall construct such facilities if necessary and consistent with law." On June 24, Secretary of
Defense James Mattis confirmed that Goodfellow Air Force Base and Fort Bliss, both in Texas, would be used to
"provide whatever support the Department of Homeland Security needs to house the people that they have under their
custody."
Statutory Authority and Policy Documents
Statutes that authorize the Department of Defense to provide support other federal agencies include:
Section 1535 of Title 31 (the "Economy Act"), which authorizes an agency to place an order with another agency to
obtain supplies or services from that agency.
Chapter 15 of Title 10, governing military support for civilian law enforcement agencies, and particularly 10 U.S.C.
272, which authorizes the Secretary of Defense to make DOD equipment and facilities available to federal, state and
local law enforcement officials for law enforcement purposes .
Additional information on how the Department of Defense implements these authorities is contained in the following
publications:
