Nearly 200 Marines Deployed to Florida to Support ICE Operations

Nearly 200 Marines are being deployed to Florida to provide administrative and logistical support to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), highlighting the ongoing involvement of active-duty military in domestic immigration efforts. 

On Thursday, July 3, U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) revealed that Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 will be deployed to support ICE at various locations throughout Florida, offering essential non-law enforcement assistance.

The recent deployment comes in response to a request made on May 9 by the Department of Homeland Security for military assistance, which was sanctioned by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth the previous month. The authorization permits the mobilization of up to 700 active-duty troops to support ICE under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, which is the same authority that was recently utilized to federalize National Guard troops in California.

NORTHCOM highlighted that, following the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, Marines are firmly barred from participating in law enforcement duties. Their responsibilities will focus solely on administrative and logistical duties, ensuring there is no direct interaction with individuals in ICE custody or participation in detention procedures.

The Marines are stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina, serving as part of a ground-based aviation support unit. Officials have confirmed that the trip marks the initial phase of a series of planned troop movements in the region, although specific deployment sites have not been disclosed by NORTHCOM. 

Further deployments to Louisiana and Texas are anticipated in the upcoming weeks as part of a larger initiative to enhance ICE operations in the southern states.

This deployment in Florida stands apart from the operations of Task Force 51 in California, where Marines have been engaged in securing federal properties during ongoing protests. In Los Angeles, Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines arrived on June 13 and were rotated out on July 1, with 400 Marines from 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines stepping in to carry on the mission.