Veterans Reject Politicization of the Military Through Misuse of Wartime Powers
We condemn President Trump’s Executive Orders (EOs) today that declare a national emergency on the U.S. border, allow for the domestic deployment of the U.S. military, close the border to asylum-seeking migrants, and designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
Invoking wartime powers for immigration enforcement is un-American. Migrants seeking refuge are not an ‘invasion.’ As veterans, we took an oath to defend against threats—not families seeking safety. Deploying troops at the border for immigration enforcement weaponizes the military in ways it was never meant to be used.
Many service members come from immigrant backgrounds, with parents, spouses, or children who may be directly impacted by these policies. This action sends a chilling message to military families and undermines the trust and cohesion that strengthen our armed forces. Using the military to enforce immigration policies not only risks morale but also politicizes those in uniform, turning them into tools of division rather than defenders of the Republic. Veterans understand the gravity of this misuse—and we reject it.
We also share deep concern that the President invoked the Alien Enemies Act in connection to these EOs, the same act that was used to justify Japanese internment in WWII. Using it today betrays American values and revisits that dark stain on our nation’s history. If service members are implicated in immigration enforcement under this act, the actions demanded of them may conflict with the constitutional rights of others -- specifically, the Fifth Amendment, which protects U.S. citizens and immigrants against discrimination and rights violations perpetrated by the federal government.
The Chamberlain Network was founded to unite veterans, military families, and citizens committed to defending democracy, and that mission has never been more urgent. The military doesn’t belong in domestic law enforcement. Our service was to protect freedom, not to intimidate communities at home.
As veterans, we understand that our duty to the nation extends far beyond our time in uniform. Honoring our oaths means safeguarding the principles we served to protect, including keeping the military above partisan politics. Using a wartime act to justify the domestic deployment of troops for immigration enforcement undermines this principle and drags the military into political conflicts where it does not belong. This misuse erodes trust in our armed forces and risks turning those who serve into instruments of division, rather than defenders of our shared values.
The work we do now—the work of standing up, speaking out, and taking action—is critical to protecting our military and standing up for our Republic.
Chris Purdy
Founder and CEO
The Chamberlain Network
