Pentagon Orders Dozens Military Lawyers to Aid DOJ Immigration Cases

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the U.S. military to provide 48 attorneys and 4 paralegals for temporary assignments to assist the Justice Department, primarily focusing on immigration enforcement near the U.S.-Mexico border and in Memphis, Tennessee. This initiative supports the Trump administration's intensified immigration crackdown and follows a recent Pentagon approval to send up to 600 military lawyers to serve as temporary immigration judges. The memo specifies the distribution of legal personnel, including 20 lawyers for Memphis, 12 for West Texas cities such as El Paso and Del Rio, and additional staff for Las Cruces, New Mexico. These military lawyers are expected to have significant experience in immigration and administrative law alongside general prosecution skills, although the exact legal tasks remain unspecified. The Pentagon emphasizes its commitment to supporting law enforcement efforts, highlighting the valuable role of military attorneys in federal immigration operations. However, this increased military involvement in civilian legal matters raises concerns about the impact on military justice resources and their primary duties.