The Associated Press released a bombshell report—saying that President Donald Trump was planning to mobilize 100,000 National Guard troops to “round up” illegal immigrants, and deport them to their country of origins.

It would be a massive story—if it were true.

Unfortunately for the AP, it was fake news.

The Department of Homeland Security hit back hard on the AP—saying that the allegations were completely false, and that they are “not considering mobilizing the National Guard.”

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer also denied the allegations, saying, emphatically: “There is no effort at all to round up, to utilize the National Guard to round up illegal immigrants.”

The AP’s story originated with a DHS memo that outlined a plan for use of the National Guard, which the AP claimed was written by DHS Secretary John Kelly.

DHS explained that the AP was incorrectly reporting on an early, pre-decisional draft of the memo—one which was never considered a serious proposal by staff. They added that the memo was also neither written nor approved by Kelly.

Without approval from Kelly, the memo never would have even made it close to the desk of President Trump.
As of 3:30pm on Friday, the Associated Press has not yet issued a retraction—and the article remains on their website.