The Pentagon said on Tuesday that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had authorized the mobilization of up to 700 military personnel at the Department of Defense to several states in support of ICE, including Florida.
The other states on the list were Texas and Louisiana.
“These service members, drawn from all components and operating in a Title 10 duty status, will provide logistical support, and conduct administrative and clerical functions associated with the processing of illegal aliens at ICE detention facilities,” said spokesman Sean Parnell. “They will not directly participate in law enforcement activities.”
Parnell continued that the Pentagon is working with the Department of Homeland Security, headed by Secretary Kristi Noem, to support ICE.
“This support provides critical resources to support ICE’s mission, freeing up law enforcement personnel to focus on law enforcement tasks and missions,” Parnell said. “The Department remains committed to securing 100% operational control of the border.”
The deployment to Florida comes as the entire state has been running immigration enforcement operations alongside ICE agents, with many officers authorized to perform immigration enforcement with approval from the federal government.