A leaked internal memo from a recent meeting between senior officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DoD) has triggered fresh concern over the Trump administration’s plans to deepen military involvement in domestic immigration enforcement.
As reported by Greg Sargent of The New Republic, the document reveals troubling intentions to intensify the use of the U.S. military within the country. Sargent wrote that the memo “suggests that Trump’s use of the military for domestic law enforcement on immigration could soon get worse.”
The memo, which was recreated and published with redactions by The New Republic, offers a rare glimpse into internal deliberations. It outlines proposals to further integrate the Defense Department into domestic operations and has alarmed experts who see it as a step toward a more militarized approach to civil law enforcement.
Authored by Philip Hegseth—brother of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth—the memo reflects a push for deeper coordination between DHS and the Pentagon. Philip Hegseth currently serves as a senior adviser to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and also acts as a liaison to the DoD.
At the center of the discussion was a recent operation in Los Angeles, where National Guard troops and later U.S. Marines assisted ICE agents and local police in quelling protests that followed immigration raids targeting undocumented workers. The memo reportedly positions the L.A. deployment as a model for future operations.
Sargent emphasized this point in a social media post, noting that the memo plainly states such operations may be needed “for years to come.” One expert told him, “They see Los Angeles as a model to be replicated.”
The memo further reads: “To Make America Safe Again, DHS and DoD will need to be in lockstep with each other, and I hope today sets the scene for where our partnership is headed.” It also compares transnational criminal gangs and drug cartels to Al Qaeda—a claim experts say is deeply problematic.
Lindsay Cohn, associate professor at the U.S. Naval War College, called that comparison an alarming stretch. “The conflation of a low-level threat like transnational criminal organizations with Al Qaeda, which was actually attempting to topple the United States government, is a clear attempt to use excessive force for a purpose normally handled by civil authorities,” Cohn said.
Kim Lane Scheppele, a Princeton University sociologist who studies autocracy, reacted to the reporting by saying, “Here it comes. The worst we’ve been waiting for.”
According to The New Republic, the memo details the agenda for a July 21 meeting between top DHS and Pentagon officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chair Dan Caine, and NORTHCOM Commander Gregory Guillot. The meeting’s purpose: to better align the agencies in “defense of the homeland.” Also present were Philip Hegseth and acting ICE Commissioner Todd Lyons.
“Due to the sensitive nature of the meeting, minimal written policy or background information can be provided in this briefing memo,” the document states.
Joseph Nunn, counsel for the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, said the memo was “disturbing.” He warned it signals a trend toward normalizing military involvement in civilian law enforcement—a shift he believes could escalate if the recommendations are adopted.
After publishing his piece, Sargent added a notable observation: “It looks plausible that the Hegseth brothers are trying to push military leaders further on involving military in domestic law enforcement. Two experts I spoke with read the memo that way. There may be a bigger story here to get.”
