Tool
Overview of the Militarization of U.S. Cities
April 20, 2026
Overview
This resource compiles information on the Trump-Vance administration’s militarized operations in cities across the country, pursued under the guise of immigration enforcement. This memorandum is meant to serve as a quick guide that compiles relevant sources that the administration has relied on (including policies, executive orders, and other documents), press coverage of what is happening on the ground, as well as key litigation challenging these operations and helpful legal explainer materials. It is organized into two major categories of militarized operations: those led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including operations undertaken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and those led by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) in relation to the deployment of the National Guard. Within each category, the information and resources are organized by city. Given fast-moving events, this resource will be updated regularly.