About 200 Marines are being deployed to Florida to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement in its pursuit of immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally.
The troops, from Marine Corps Air Station in New River, North Carolina, will provide critical administrative and logistical capabilities at locations as directed by ICE, U.S. Northern Command said in a press release.
"Their roles will focus on administrative and logistical tasks, and they are specifically prohibited from direct contact with individuals in ICE custody or involvement in any aspect of the custody chain," the release said.
The Marines, who represent the first wave of U.S. Northern Command's support of ICE's mission, could also be deployed to Louisiana and Texas.
On May 9, the Department of Homeland Security requested assistance from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who approved the mobilization of up to 700 active, National Guard, and Reserve component forces.
President Donald Trump's authorization of National Guard troops to serve as immigration judges in Florida has been met with both praise and backlash as the administration looks to speed up the deportation of illegal immigrants.
On Wednesday, Pentagon press secretary Sean Parnell said roughly 70 Florida National Guard troops were already conducting base security at the newly renovated detention center for illegal aliens nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz," due to its isolated location in the Everglades.
A week earlier, Parnell explained why DHS requested military help.
"This support provides critical resources to support ICE's mission, freeing up law enforcement personnel to focus on law enforcement tasks and missions," he said. "The Department remains committed to securing 100% operational control of the border."
The administration has sent 8,500 service members to the U.S.-Mexico border and 5,000 to Los Angeles, including 700 Marines, to protect buildings and ICE agents, who have encountered pushback to its sweeping immigration raids.
Last month, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed Trump to retain control of the National Guard troops he deployed earlier in the month in response to protests over immigration raids in Los Angeles.
The president had argued that the troops were needed to restore order while California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom said moving them in wasted resources, overruled local authority, and inflamed tensions in the city.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.