Military Supporting Immigration Enforcement in Florida, Louisiana, Texas

Key Takeaways

• Up to 700 military personnel deployed to support ICE in Texas, Florida, and Louisiana starting June 17, 2025.
• Military troops will provide transportation, facility maintenance, and data processing, not law enforcement duties.
• SkillBridge expanded June 12, 2025, allowing service members to gain experience with ICE and CBP.

On June 17, 2025, the Department of Defense announced a major move: up to 700 military personnel would be sent to help U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Texas, Florida, and Louisiana. This decision marks a new chapter in how the United States 🇺🇸 uses its military to support immigration enforcement, especially in states facing high numbers of migrants. The deployment comes at a time when border apprehensions are rising and state and federal officials are looking for new ways to manage the situation.

Who is involved? The Department of Defense, led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is sending these troops. ICE, the main federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement, will receive their support. The states affected—Texas, Florida, and Louisiana—are all seeing increased immigration enforcement activity. The Pentagon’s Chief Spokesman, Sean Parnell, made it clear that these troops will not be arresting people or carrying out law enforcement duties. Instead, they will help with tasks like transportation, facility maintenance, and data processing.

Why now? The administration says the move is needed to help ICE handle the growing number of migrants, especially along the southern border. In April 2025, Border Patrol agents caught about 8,400 migrants at the border, a 21% jump from March. This increase has put pressure on both federal and state agencies to find more resources and staff.

How will it work? The military personnel will be spread across several locations in Texas, Florida, and Louisiana. Their main job is to provide administrative and logistical support. This means they will help keep things running smoothly behind the scenes, but they will not be involved in direct law enforcement or making arrests.

Military’s Role in Immigration Enforcement: What’s Changing?

Administrative and Logistical Support

The 700 military personnel will focus on non-law enforcement tasks. These include:

• Transportation: Moving equipment, supplies, and sometimes people between facilities.
• Facility Maintenance: Keeping ICE facilities clean, safe, and operational.
• Data Processing: Helping with paperwork, records, and other administrative tasks.

By handling these jobs, the military frees up ICE agents to focus on their main duties, such as investigating immigration cases and carrying out deportations.

Legal Boundaries and the Posse Comitatus Act

A key law, the Posse Comitatus Act, says that active-duty military cannot carry out law enforcement activities inside the United States 🇺🇸. This means they cannot arrest people, search homes, or enforce laws directly. However, National Guard units, when under state orders, can sometimes help with law enforcement if the state governor approves.

In Texas and Florida, National Guard units have partnered with ICE through what’s called “287(g)” agreements. These agreements allow certain state or local officers to act like immigration officers. But for this new deployment, the active-duty military will stick to support roles only.

The SkillBridge Program: Connecting Military Service to Immigration Enforcement

Another important change is the expansion of the SkillBridge program. This Department of Defense initiative lets service members in their last 180 days of military service get real-world job experience before they leave the military. On June 12, 2025, Defense Secretary Hegseth announced that the program would now focus more on jobs with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and ICE.

How does SkillBridge work?

• Eligibility: Service members in their final 180 days of service can apply.
• Job Experience: They can work with CBP or ICE, learning about border security and immigration enforcement.
• Approval: Commanders are told to approve these requests as much as possible.
• Goal: Help service members transition smoothly to civilian jobs, while also giving ICE and CBP a pool of trained, disciplined workers.

This change means more former military personnel may end up working in immigration enforcement, bringing their skills and experience to these agencies.

State and Federal Roles: Who Does What?

The line between state and federal roles in immigration enforcement is getting blurrier. While the federal government (through ICE and CBP) is in charge of enforcing immigration laws, states like Texas and Florida are taking a more active role.

Operation Lone Star in Texas

Texas has launched “Operation Lone Star,” a state-led effort to crack down on illegal immigration. This operation includes:

• Thousands of trespassing arrests: Migrants caught crossing the border are arrested for trespassing on private land.
• Collaboration with ICE: State officials work closely with federal agents to process and detain migrants.

National Guard Involvement

National Guard units in Texas and Florida are working with ICE under state orders. This allows them to help with certain immigration enforcement tasks, something active-duty military cannot do under federal law.

Expert Opinions and Concerns

Not everyone agrees with these changes. Mark Nevitt, an associate professor at Emory University School of Law, has raised concerns about the growing overlap between military and law enforcement roles. He warns that this could erode important legal boundaries and lead to “mission creep,” where the military slowly takes on more law enforcement duties than intended.

Civil rights groups and legal experts also worry about the impact on migrants. They say that more military involvement could lead to more detentions and deportations, especially in areas with large migrant populations. There are also concerns about civil liberties and the potential for mistakes or abuses.

On the other hand, state officials in Texas and Florida support the increased military involvement. They argue that their states need more resources and manpower to handle the rising number of migrants.

How Does This Affect Migrants and Local Communities?

For migrants, the increased military presence means they may face a higher risk of being detained or deported. The focus on administrative and logistical support allows ICE agents to spend more time on enforcement activities, which could lead to more arrests.

Local communities, especially in border areas, may see more military vehicles and personnel. Some people may feel safer, while others may feel uneasy about the growing role of the military in everyday life.

Employers and families who rely on migrant workers may also be affected. Stricter enforcement can make it harder for migrants to find work or stay in the country legally.

Step-by-Step: How the Military Supports Immigration Enforcement

1. Authorization: The Defense Secretary approves the deployment of up to 700 military personnel to Texas, Florida, and Louisiana.
2. Official Statement: The Pentagon releases details about what the troops will and won’t do.
3. Deployment: Troops are sent to specific locations, focusing on areas with high immigration enforcement activity.
4. Support Activities: Military personnel help with transportation, facility maintenance, and data processing.
5. SkillBridge Participation: Service members nearing the end of their service can apply for SkillBridge jobs with ICE or CBP.
6. On-the-Job Training: These participants get hands-on experience in border security and immigration enforcement.

Background: How Did We Get Here?

The use of the military in immigration enforcement is not new. Over the years, different administrations have called on the military to help with border security, usually in support roles. What’s different now is the scale and the focus on connecting military service to immigration enforcement jobs.

The SkillBridge program was originally created to help service members find civilian jobs after leaving the military. Now, it’s being used to fill jobs in border security and immigration enforcement, making it easier for former military personnel to move into these roles.

The legal framework is also important. The Posse Comitatus Act, passed in 1878, was designed to keep the military out of domestic law enforcement. But National Guard units, when under state control, are not bound by this law. This allows states like Texas and Florida to use their National Guard troops in ways that active-duty military cannot.

What’s Next? Looking Ahead

The administration is expected to keep using military resources to help with immigration enforcement, especially in border states. The SkillBridge program may expand even further, offering more opportunities for service members to work in border security.

Legal challenges are likely. Advocacy groups and legal experts may take the government to court over the growing overlap between military and law enforcement roles. These cases could shape how the military is used in immigration enforcement in the future.

States like Texas and Florida are expected to keep running their own immigration enforcement operations, with continued support from National Guard units.

Key Facts and Figures

Here’s a summary of the most important details:

Common Questions

Are military personnel arresting migrants?
No. Active-duty military are not allowed to do law enforcement work inside the United States 🇺🇸. They only help with support tasks like transportation and paperwork.

What is the SkillBridge program?
It’s a Department of Defense program that lets service members in their last 180 days of service get job experience with agencies like ICE and CBP. This helps them find civilian jobs and gives these agencies more trained workers.

How does this affect migrants?
With more support from the military, ICE agents can focus more on enforcement. This could mean more detentions and deportations, especially in border areas.

What are the legal concerns?
Experts worry that using the military in this way could blur the line between military and law enforcement, which is supposed to be kept separate by law.

Official Resources

For more information on immigration enforcement and the role of the military, you can visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official website. This site provides updates on enforcement activities, policies, and contact information for those seeking help or more details.

Implications for Stakeholders

For Immigrants:
The increased military support could make it harder to avoid detection and deportation. Migrants may face more obstacles and risks, especially in Texas, Florida, and Louisiana.

For Employers:
Businesses that rely on migrant workers may find it harder to hire and keep employees, especially if enforcement actions increase.

For Military Personnel:
Service members now have more opportunities to transition into civilian jobs in immigration enforcement. The SkillBridge program gives them a clear path to these careers.

For State and Local Governments:
States like Texas and Florida have more tools to enforce immigration laws, but they also face legal and ethical questions about the growing role of the military.

Final Thoughts and Takeaways

The decision to send up to 700 military personnel to help with immigration enforcement in Texas, Florida, and Louisiana marks a significant shift in how the United States 🇺🇸 handles border security. While the military will not be making arrests or carrying out law enforcement duties, their support allows ICE to focus more on enforcement activities. The expansion of the SkillBridge program also means more former military personnel will likely join immigration agencies.

As reported by VisaVerge.com, these changes are likely to have a big impact on migrants, local communities, and the agencies involved. The debate over the proper role of the military in immigration enforcement is far from over, and future legal challenges may shape how these policies develop.

For those affected—whether you’re a migrant, employer, service member, or local official—it’s important to stay informed and know your rights. For the latest updates and official information, always check trusted government sources like ICE.gov.

Learn Today

ICE → U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency enforcing immigration laws and policies.
Posse Comitatus Act → Law barring active-duty military from performing domestic law enforcement activities in the U.S.
SkillBridge → Department of Defense program offering job experience to service members during their last 180 days.
National Guard → State-controlled military units that can assist in law enforcement when authorized by governors.
Operation Lone Star → Texas state initiative focused on immigration enforcement including arrests and cooperation with ICE.

This Article in a Nutshell

The U.S. deploys 700 military personnel to support ICE with logistics in Texas, Florida, and Louisiana. Active-duty troops assist administratively, not in arrests, while SkillBridge offers service members job experience, linking military skills with immigration enforcement needs during rising border apprehensions in 2025.
— By VisaVerge.com