Pentagon rejects DC mayor’s request for National Guard to help with illegal migrants

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser revealed Friday the Defense Department rejected her request to provide National Guard troops to the city to deal with a growing number of a illegal migrants being bused from Texas.

Bowser said she plans to modify her request and submit it again in hopes that being more specific about the use of troops may persuade the Pentagon to change its mind.

"We want to continue to work with the Department of Defense so that they understand our operational needs, and to assure that any political considerations are not a part of their decision," she said.

Bowser said the Pentagon raised "the concern about the open-ended nature of our request, and their ability to respond to it."

"So having just looked at their letter, they appear to say a more specified request would help them understand our needs," she said.

Bowser’s announcement came the same day Texas Gov. Greg Abbott revealed he is now beginning to ship illegal migrants to New York City after Mayor Eric Adams refused his request to come visit the border.

According to Abbott’s office, more than 6,500 migrants have been moved aboard 160 buses to Washington.

In its letter to the District of Columbia government, the Pentagon said troops are unnecessary because the city has already received enough federal funding through a nonprofit agency to house and care for the migrants.

“After careful consideration the Departmentconcluded it cannot fulfill your request,” Pentagon executive secretary Kelly Bulliner Holly wrote the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.