U.S. Military Strengthens Support for ICE in Florida with Deployment of 200 Marines

U.S. Northern Command, or USNORTHCOM, is deploying around 200 Marines to Florida to bolster the efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly known as ICE, in its interior immigration enforcement operations.

These Marines, part of Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 and based at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina, are responding to a request from the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS.

Secretary of Defense Sean Parnell issued an order for backup to assist ICE in Florida, as well as in Louisiana and Texas. This assistance includes critical administrative and logistical capabilities, with the deployment organized as per ICE directives.

Parnell’s mobilization plan encompasses a total of 700 personnel, drawn from active, National Guard, and reserve forces. This latest dispatch includes the initial wave of support from USNORTHCOM.

According to a statement released by USNORTHCOM, service members involved in this mission will perform strictly non-law enforcement duties within ICE facilities. Their primary roles will be limited to administrative and logistical support, and they will not engage directly with individuals in ICE custody or participate in any segment of the custody chain.

In discussing the operation, Parnell highlighted that this support aims to alleviate the undue burden on law enforcement agencies.

He emphasized that the assistance being provided equips ICE with essential resources, allowing law enforcement personnel to concentrate on their core missions and responsibilities. Parnell reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to achieving complete operational control of U.S. borders.

Additionally, the U.S. Air Force and Navy have begun to assume roles on federal land along the southern border. This initiative comes under the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The designated area, spanning approximately 250 miles across Texas’ Cameron and Hidalgo counties, is being handed over to the Air Force. It will fall under the jurisdiction of Joint Base San Antonio and will be overseen as part of a newly designated National Defense Area.

Back in June, a battalion comprising 500 U.S. Marines was mobilized in response to anti-immigration enforcement protests in Los Angeles. This significant troop movement drew criticism from liberal activists, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, who filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the deployment.

The governor’s office downplayed the necessity of this troop movement, labeling it as entirely