In response to a request from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Pentagon is deploying 700 U.S. military personnel—comprising active duty, National Guard, and Reserve forces operating under Title 10 authority—to assist with non-combat logistical duties across several states.
Among them, 200 Marines from Marine Support Squadron 272, based at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina, are en route to Florida. Their deployment marks the initial wave of U.S. Northern Command’s broader mobilization effort to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with critical administrative and logistical tasks at designated sites.
The mission, as clarified in a recent statement, is strictly limited to behind-the-scenes roles. The troops are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any form of law enforcement activity, including making arrests or having direct contact with detainees. “They will focus solely on administrative and logistical functions and remain removed from ICE’s custody operations,” the release stated.
This use of military personnel in supportive, non-law enforcement roles has long been authorized under specific legal frameworks. Though the Posse Comitatus Act restricts military involvement in domestic policing, exceptions exist—particularly for logistical and technical assistance—as detailed in a 1991 FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin.
According to a 2010 report, such assistance may include activities like intelligence analysis, equipment transport, surveillance support, communication infrastructure setup, and the installation of physical barriers.
The full 700-troop mobilization aligns with the Pentagon’s ongoing effort to enhance border security. Four new military support zones were recently established along the southern U.S. border in Texas and Arizona to curb illegal crossings and disrupt narcotics trafficking. Additional troop deployments are planned for Texas and Louisiana in the coming weeks.
