Reps. Garamendi, Thompson Demand Answers from Pentagon Over Plans to Use Travis AFB as Deportation Center

WASHINGTON, DC— This week, U.S. Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA-08) and Mike Thompson (D-CA-04) sent a joint letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth following reports that the Trump Administration is considering Travis Air Force Base as an immigration detention facility:

“It’s outrageous and inappropriate for the Trump Administration to use Travis Air Force Base as an immigration detention facility. Converting Travis into an immigration facility would undermine its vital national security mission. Travis Air Force Base has long been known as the 'Gateway to the Pacific' because it plays a crucial role in our national security by providing transportation for personnel and materiel around the world, particularly in support to Ukraine.” said the Representatives.

“Unfortunately, this is not the President’s first attempt to inappropriately utilize Travis Air Force Base, hampering its critical mission. In February we uncovered that Trump was using Travis’s military aircraft to transport undocumented individuals at three times the cost of commercial flights. Later that month, we were able to stop his attempt to send trained medical personnel to the proposed migrant detention camp in Guantanamo Bay. Now, the President wants to turn Travis into a mass deportation center. All these instances compromise our national security and are simply absurd.

“We are deeply alarmed by Trump’s blatant abuse of presidential power and his indifference to the rule of law. His utter disregard for the Posse Comitatus Act, which explicitly prohibits using active-duty military personnel for domestic law enforcement functions, is gravely concerning.

“We will continue Congress’s oversight role and work to ensure the American people understand the unlawful, wasteful, and dangerous path Trump is pursuing.”

This letter is the latest in a series of actions by Rep. Garamendi and Rep. Thompson to hold the Trump Administration accountable for misusing military resources in immigration enforcement.

In January, Rep. Garamendi’s office sent a letter demanding answers from the Department of Defense regarding the use of C-17s and C-130s from Travis Air Force Base to deport undocumented immigrants. 

In February, Rep. Garamendi followed up with another letter pressing the Trump Administration over plans to deploy medical professionals to a proposed migrant detention facility in Guantanamo Bay. The Department of Defense recently responded to that inquiry, but Rep. Garamendi’s office found the response inadequate.

Read the full letter here and below.

Pete Hegseth
Secretary of Defense
Office of the Secretary of Defense 
1000 Defense Pentagon 
Washington, DC 20301 

Dear Secretary Hegseth, 

We are deeply frustrated and gravely concerned by recent reports regarding the proposed use of Travis Air Force Base (AFB) as a migrant detention site. In our previous correspondence, we requested detailed assessments on the impact of this plan, including its effects on military resources, infrastructure, ongoing construction projects, and overall readiness. To date, these critical details remain unclear.

While the federal government must address immigration challenges with humane and practical solutions, utilizing a military installation for civilian law enforcement and detention operations raises significant concerns about the misuse of military resources, operational readiness, and national security. The decision to use Travis AFB as a migrant detention center would both constitute a dangerous militarization of immigration enforcement and unnecessarily degrade military readiness.

Travis AFB plays a critical role in national security and is responsible for the global transportation of personnel and material. Whether providing aid to Ukraine or transporting personnel and equipment into the Pacific, Travis AFB must maintain its readiness to respond to global crises.

Additionally, military personnel's involvement in civilian detention and law enforcement contradicts established legal frameworks, including the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military engagement in civilian law enforcement. Assigning resources toward immigration enforcement risks blurring this crucial distinction and setting a concerning precedent for the use of military installations for purposes beyond their intended scope.

We demand answers from the Department of Defense to the following inquiries, no later than 30 days after receipt:

1. Has the Department assessed the potential impact on Travis AFB’s infrastructure, specifically regarding water and energy, should a detention site be established at the base?
2. How will diverting space and resources for a detention center at Travis AFB impact ongoing or future operations?
3. How many migrants does the Department expect to detain at Travis AFB?
4. Does the Department plan to reassign military personnel at Travis AFB to assist in detention operations?
5. How will the Department ensure military personnel are not performing law enforcement activities at this detention center?
6. What authorized and appropriated funds are being diverted to build and maintain this detention center?

We urge you to provide full transparency on how this decision will affect Travis AFB and to reconsider any action that might compromise military readiness and interfere with ongoing or future operations.

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