Donald Trump to Issue Order Resembling Martial Law on April 20
The executive orders issued by Donald Trump on January 20, the day he assumed office as President of the United States, created significant controversy. Reports now suggest that he is preparing to issue another series of high-impact directives. According to available information, Trump is likely to invoke the "Insurrection Act of 1807" through new orders scheduled for April 20.
Under a provision from the executive order signed on January 20, the U.S. Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security are required to submit a report to the President within 90 days. This report must recommend whether or not to implement the 1807 Insurrection Act, based on the conditions prevailing at the southern border of the United States.
What is the Insurrection Act of 1807?
The Insurrection Act of 1807 empowers the President to deploy the U.S. military and the National Guard under specific circumstances. This includes situations involving civil unrest, violent uprisings, or acts of resistance that require suppression. The Act grants the President authority that supersedes the Posse Comitatus Act, which generally restricts military involvement in domestic law enforcement. As Commander-in-Chief, the President is vested with the authority to determine when and where to deploy armed forces within the United States under this law.
Two days after signing the executive order—on January 22—the U.S. Department of Defense announced the deployment of 1,500 active-duty service members along with additional air support to enforce border security. Later, on January 29, Donald Trump declared his intention to sign another executive order directing the Department of Defense to detain up to 30,000 criminals at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Following this statement, however, there has been no further development on that matter.
As of now, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security have not yet submitted their final report to the President regarding the executive orders. They also have not briefed him on the mission’s accomplishments thus far. In this context, many speculate that Donald Trump may soon enforce the 1807 Insurrection Act to obtain complete control over the southern border.