Pentagon Greenlights Migrant Detention Facilities on U.S. Military Bases

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is set to create temporary migrant detention facilities at two U.S. military bases: Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and Camp Atterbury in Indiana, following the Pentagon's approval earlier this week. The facilities will serve to accommodate migrants who are in the process of awaiting deportation, featuring soft-sided, temporary structures rather than utilizing existing military buildings.

A letter dated July 15 from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to Rep. Herb Conaway (D-N.J.) confirmed the decision. In the correspondence, Hegseth stated that utilizing the bases would “not negatively affect military training, operations, readiness, or other military requirements, including National Guard and Reserve readiness.”

A defense official who spoke with Task & Purpose indicated that the timeline for constructing and activating the facility remains uncertain, meaning it requires additional coordination with DHS.

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, situated southeast of Trenton, serves as a base for numerous National Guard and reserve units from the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. Camp Atterbury, located in Indiana, serves mainly as a training facility for the National Guard. During Operation Allies Welcome in 2021, following the U.S. exit from Afghanistan, both sites served as temporary accommodations for Afghan refugees.

The Department of Defense has assumed a more prominent role in supporting immigration enforcement, providing aircraft and airfields for deportation flights, as well as security assistance for DHS operations. Currently, the Florida National Guard is stationing troops to safeguard a DHS detention facility in the Florida Everglades.

In other developments, a significant number of California National Guard members were federally activated last month to ensure the safety of DHS agents during various raids and operations, especially in Southern California and Los Angeles. These operations encompassed activities in both city environments and agricultural areas, along with demonstrations intended to discourage unauthorized labor actions. Approximately 50% of the Guardsmen were demobilized this week, following over a month of operations.

The deployment of military facilities for the detention of civilians has raised alarms among advocates for civil liberties. However, federal officials assert that this strategy is essential to manage the growing logistical demands as deportation efforts intensify.

The Department of Homeland Security has yet to provide further information regarding the capacity, oversight, or duration of the new facilities. Officials emphasized that the purpose is to provide temporary accommodations for individuals pending removal by U.S. immigration law.

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