Pentagon deploys 200 Marines to Florida ICE sites

The U.S. military has deployed approximately 200 Marines to Florida to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with non-enforcement duties. The move is part of a broader mobilization of up to 700 Department of Defense personnel, authorized by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, to support ICE operations in Florida, Louisiana and Texas. — Image credit: Photo by Lance Cpl. Jack Labrador

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Summary

Military support

The Pentagon has deployed 200 Marines to Florida as part of a broader mobilization of 700 troops to assist ICE. Their role is limited to administrative and logistical support across three states.

Non-enforcement duties

Under the Posse Comitatus Act, troops are prohibited from direct detainee contact or custody roles. Troops are helping free up ICE agents to focus on enforcement.

Border expansion

Separately, the Air Force has assumed control of a 250-mile National Defense Area along the Texas-Mexico border. The NDA is now managed under Joint Base San Antonio.

Full story

The U.S. military has deployed approximately 200 Marines to Florida to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with non-enforcement duties. The move is part of a broader mobilization of up to 700 Department of Defense personnel authorized by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to support ICE operations in Florida, Louisiana and Texas.

The Marines are part of the first wave of this support, which includes active duty, reserve and National Guard troops. The deployment responds to a request from the Department of Homeland Security.

What duties will the Marines perform?

U.S. Northern Command says it will assign service members to handle administrative and logistical tasks inside ICE facilities. The military prohibits them from having direct contact with detainees or taking part in the custody process. The Pentagon emphasized that troops are not conducting law enforcement activities.

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said the broader support would allow ICE officers to refocus on enforcement duties by relieving them of backend tasks.

“This support provides critical resources to support ICE’s mission, freeing up law enforcement personnel to focus on law enforcement tasks and missions,” Parnell said.

Is this part of a larger military role in immigration?

Yes. The Florida deployment follows a broader trend under the Trump administration of increased military involvement in immigration enforcement support. In June, 500 Marines were sent to Los Angeles during anti-ICE protests.

Separately, officials designated a 250-mile stretch of the Texas-Mexico border as a National Defense Area and assigned the Air Force to oversee logistics and coordination from Joint Base San Antonio.

Alexandria Nohalty (Production Specialist), Devan Markham (Morning Digital Producer), and Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor) contributed to this report.

Tags: Florida, ICE, Marine Corps

[craig nigrelli]

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS DEPLOYING 200 MARINES TO FLORIDA — TO HELP IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT.

THIS COMES AS THE FIRST ICE DETAINEES ARRIVED THURSDAY AT THE DETENTION FACILITY KNOWN AS “ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ.”

CONSTRUCTION JUST BEGAN ON THE 450 MILLION DOLLAR FACILITY — WHICH CONSISTS OF TENTS AND TRAILERS SURROUNDED BY RAZOR WIRE ON SWAMPLAND.

THE FACILITY IS A RE-PURPOSED TRAINING AIRPORT IN THE EVERGLADES THAT WAS RECENTLY SEIZED BY THE STATE FROM MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.

THE MILITARY DID NOT SPECIFY WHETHER THE MARINES WILL BE SENT TO ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ.

ACCORDING TO U-S NORTHERN COMMAND, THEY “WILL PERFORM STRICTLY NON-LAW ENFORCEMENT DUTIES WITHIN ICE FACILITIES,” FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON “ADMINISTRATIVE AND LOGISTICAL TASKS” AND ARE “PROHIBITED FROM DIRECT CONTACT WITH INDIVIDUALS IN ICE CUSTODY.”

Why this story matters

The deployment of U.S. Marines to assist ICE with non-enforcement duties reflects increasing military involvement in support of immigration enforcement activities and has implications for how federal agencies collaborate on border and immigration issues.

Military support for immigration enforcement

The assignment of Marines and other Department of Defense personnel to ICE highlights a broader trend of the military providing logistical and administrative support in immigration operations, as described by U.S. Northern Command and Pentagon officials.

Civil-military boundaries

According to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, the troops will not engage in law enforcement or have direct contact with detainees, underscoring ongoing considerations about the proper division of roles between the military and civilian agencies.

Broader policy context

The deployment is part of a larger pattern of increased federal and military activity at the southern border and in support of immigration enforcement, as documented by references to recent deployments and expanded military roles under the Trump administration.

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Behind the numbers

The articles report that 200 U.S. Marines have been deployed to Florida, joining a broader mobilization of up to 700 military personnel—including active duty, National Guard, and reservists—to assist ICE with administrative and logistical tasks. The newly opened Florida detention facility, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," is mentioned to have a capacity ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 beds, depending on the source.

Community reaction

Community response varies by group. Some military veterans, as cited by left-leaning sources, have openly criticized the deployment, raising concerns about military roles in domestic civil matters. State and local officials in California previously expressed strong opposition to a similar deployment there, fearing it could escalate tensions during protests and impact community trust in both federal and military authorities.

Context corner

The Posse Comitatus Act generally restricts the use of the military for law enforcement within U.S. borders. Historically, military assistance domestically has been limited and often controversial when expanded. Recent years have seen increased military involvement along the U.S. border and in civil unrest situations, driven by changing policies and heightened political attention to immigration enforcement.

Sources

Bias comparison

Media outlets on the left frame the deployment of 200 Marines to assist ICE in Florida as a “dangerous and outrageous” politicization of the military, emphasizing veterans’ harsh criticism and concerns over democratic norms, portraying the action with emotionally charged language like “slam Trump” and “outrageous.”
Media outlets in the center maintain a neutral tone, focusing on facts without emotive framing.
Media outlets on the right highlight the deployment as a necessary reinforcement, praising the “stronger stance on immigration” and describing military roles as “critical administrative and logistical support” that alleviates law enforcement burdens, often dismissing opposition as politicized.

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Media landscape

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104 total sources

Key points from the Left

U.S. Northern Command announced that approximately 200 U.S. Marines will be deployed to Florida and other states to assist with Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
The Marines will perform strictly non-law enforcement duties within ICE facilities, focusing on administrative and logistical tasks according to U.S. Northern Command's statement.
Chris Purdy condemned the use of military personnel for immigration-related operations, stating that the military should not police its people.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently authorized up to 700 military personnel to help ICE in Florida, Texas and Louisiana, marking a significant military presence in immigration enforcement operations.

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- 'Dangerous and outrageous': Veterans slam Trump after he sends 200 Marines to Florida
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Key points from the Center

On Thursday, U.S. Northern Command deployed 200 Marines from North Carolina to support ICE with administrative and logistical tasks in Florida.
DHS's May request for military aid led to SecDef Pete Hegseth approving up to 700 troops, initiating the deployment of 200 Marines to support ICE operations in Florida.
U.S. Northern Command states Marines perform strictly logistical and administrative tasks with no direct contact with detainees, as specified by official guidelines.
Beyond Florida, 500 troops are set to support ICE operations in Texas and Louisiana, as part of expanded military assistance under the broader immigration enforcement effort.
More broadly, Marines are supporting immigration enforcement on three fronts, with hundreds part of the 8,500 troops deployed at the U.S.-Mexico border under the Trump administration.

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See Hide headlines from Center sources 32 sources

Key points from the Right

U.S. Northern Command confirmed that 200 Marines are being sent to Florida to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement with logistical needs.
The Marines are prohibited from direct contact with individuals in ICE custody, focusing solely on non-law enforcement tasks, according to NORTHCOM.
Florida's Attorney General James Uthmeier stated that the new detention facility supports Trump's immigration policies, calling it a "one-stop shop."
Defense Secretary Sean Parnell mentioned that the support aims to relieve strain on law enforcement while ensuring border security.

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