Roughly 2,000 National Guard troops from up to 20 states are expected to be deployed to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at detention facilities, according to a U.S. official and a source familiar with the planning. While the final decision is still being reviewed, the deployment could begin as early as this week.
The troops would be activated under Title 32 status, placing them under the authority of their respective governors. This status allows them to support federal operations without violating the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars active-duty military from performing domestic law enforcement duties.
The expected deployment comes amid a surge in immigration arrests under the Trump administration. ICE is currently detaining approximately 57,000 individuals, according to federal data obtained by CNN. With Congress recently approving a record level of funding, administration officials are now planning to expand detention capacity nationwide.
According to the U.S. official, National Guard troops could be asked to perform hands-on tasks such as fingerprinting and swabbing detainees for identification. Up to now, Guard personnel have mostly provided administrative and logistical support to ICE, but the agency has requested additional help in operational roles.
A defense official said the Pentagon would not comment on potential future missions but confirmed the Department of Defense remains ready to support the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in enforcing presidential directives and safeguarding U.S. territory.
DHS has not responded to requests for comment.
CNN obtained a copy of DHS’s earlier request to the Pentagon, which asked for as many as 2,500 National Guard members to help with processing detainees, transportation, security inside facilities, meal distribution, and emergency response.
A Senate aide familiar with the plans said the current Title 32 mobilization is a key step that suggests the administration is edging closer to DHS’s broader request for up to 20,000 troops to aid in immigration-related operations across the country.
“If you map out the administration’s moves so far, it’s clearly trending toward fulfilling DHS’s full request,” the aide said.
CNN has previously reported that both the White House and DHS have been exploring ways to use National Guard forces and other military resources to reinforce immigration enforcement and increase migrant arrests nationwide.
While ICE is set to receive an unprecedented $75 billion in funding, current and former DHS officials note that it could take months to recruit and train enough new ICE personnel. In the meantime, outside assistance — including from the National Guard — will be essential to fill staffing gaps.
Last month, about 4,000 National Guard troops were deployed to support ICE operations in Los Angeles during widespread protests. Roughly half of those troops have since been released from duty.
Separately, the Pentagon recently confirmed that the Florida National Guard has been assigned to secure a new detention facility in the Everglades. However, a Florida Guard spokesperson clarified that the troops have not yet been directed to participate in direct enforcement or detention duties.
