The US military announced on 3/7 that this is the first of several deployments requested by the Department of Homeland Security. US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) will support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in its operation against undocumented immigrants.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth last month approved a plan to mobilize 700 troops to support ICE in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas.
According to USNORTHCOM, "The deployed personnel will only perform non-law enforcement duties within ICE facilities. Their role focuses on administrative and logistical tasks. They will not have direct contact with individuals detained by ICE, nor will they participate in any aspect of the detention process."
Under US law, the military is not permitted to participate in law enforcement activities unless the President invokes the Insurrection Act of 1807. Trump has not taken such action.
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US Marines in Los Angeles, California on 22/6. Photo: AFP |
US Marines in Los Angeles, California on 22/6. Photo: AFP
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of Homeland Security, said the marines "will be trained and ready to support immigration processes at locations across Florida, consistent with the administration’s approach to carrying out President Donald Trump’s mission to the American people to remove public safety threats."
Cracking down on undocumented immigration is a top priority in President Trump’s second term. Earlier this week, the president visited a new immigration detention center in Florida nicknamed "Alcatraz of the Crocodiles." The facility can hold up to 1,000 people.
The deployment to Florida comes a month after Trump sent 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 marines to Los Angeles, California, in response to protests against ICE immigration raids.
California officials strongly opposed Trump's move, arguing that it would only escalate protests that local law enforcement could handle. The Trump administration maintained that the deployment was necessary to quell unrest and protect federal property and personnel.
California sued the Trump administration over the National Guard deployment, but a federal appeals court initially ruled that the president had acted within his legal authority.
Huyen Le (According to AFP, Reuters, CBS News)
