The Trump administration is deploying 200 active-duty Marines to Florida to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to a statement from U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) released Thursday.
This move is part of a broader effort by the White House to accelerate deportation operations through the use of military personnel. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of approximately 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to California under Title X, a federal law that authorizes active-duty troops to help protect federal assets and personnel.
More Troops Sent to the South
In June, the Pentagon confirmed plans to send an additional 700 troops to Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, aimed at supporting immigration operations through logistics and administrative work. Of those, 200 are now confirmed to be Marines from Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina.
NORTHCOM stated that ICE will determine the Marines’ roles and station assignments, which are expected to include administrative and security duties.
Military Presence at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
Florida has already seen a military presence in place, particularly at the immigration detention center nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”, located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, near the Florida Everglades.
Roughly 100 National Guard members are already assigned there, helping to secure the perimeter and assist with administrative functions, according to Capt. Brittianie Funderburk, spokesperson for the Florida National Guard.
High-Profile Visit
President Trump, along with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, toured the facility on July 1, where he praised the center’s rapid expansion and vowed to continue using the military to enforce immigration laws more aggressively.
Protests and Rising Tensions
The troop deployments come amid ongoing national protests over immigration policies and U.S. involvement in Middle East conflicts, including the war between Israel and Iran. On June 22, Marines from MCAGCC Twentynine Palms were seen guarding federal buildings in Los Angeles during anti-war demonstrations—marking the first time troops made a temporary detention during a protest in the city.
As military support for immigration enforcement grows, so too does the controversy—especially in Florida, where local tribes and residents near the Everglades have objected to the location and scale of the “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center.
