In brief
In response to a request from the Justice Department, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is mobilizing military lawyers to serve as special assistant U.S. attorneys in immigration-related cases, particularly in Memphis and West Texas. This initiative follows an earlier approval to send military attorneys to function as temporary immigration judges. While the Pentagon expresses its readiness to assist law enforcement, the impact on the military's own legal system remains uncertain.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered military services to send dozens of attorneys to the Justice Department for temporary assignments aimed at aiding immigration enforcement in Memphis and along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a memo reviewed by the Associated Press.
In the memo dated Monday, Hegseth instructed the military departments to collectively identify 48 lawyers and 4 paralegals who could be detailed as special assistant U.S. attorneys, with the assignments expected to continue into next fall.
This directive is part of a broader strategy to reinforce the Justice Department's capabilities in handling immigration cases, particularly in regions where federal immigration operations are active.
Last month, the Pentagon offered to dispatch up to 600 military lawyers to serve as temporary immigration judges, reflecting an increasing reliance on military resources for immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
The latest request involves specific allocations: 20 lawyers for Memphis, 12 for West Texas (including El Paso, Del Rio, and Midland), and additional support for Las Cruces, New Mexico.
The memo does not clarify the precise nature of the legal duties, but it specifies that attorneys should have significant immigration and administrative law experience alongside general litigation skills.
The Pentagon expressed its commitment to support law enforcement efforts, stating its pride in bringing the skills of service members to enhance justice and protect the public.
The Justice Department confirmed the memo's authenticity but has not elaborated on the specifics of the lawyers' roles. The uncertainty surrounding the impact this mobilization will have on the armed forces' legal system remains a significant concern.
Prior requests for military lawyers to work as immigration judges have raised similar questions about the effects on the military justice system, where judge advocates perform various legal tasks, including prosecution and defense.
Although it is unclear how many lawyers will volunteer, the urgency of Hegseth's memo suggested a tight timeline for services to respond.
The Army and Navy have not disclosed how many attorneys they will contribute, while the Air Force has referred inquiries to the Pentagon for further details.
