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FLORIDA - 200 Marines are landing in Florida to back up Immigration and Customs Enforcement while political tempers flare over the use of troops in immigration work.
US Northern Command told reporters that the first wave comes from Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 at New River, North Carolina.
Reports state that the mission follows a May order from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that approved as many as 700 service members for Florida, Texas, and Louisiana.
Officials stressed to the Washington Post that the Marines will stick to paperwork, warehouse duty, and vehicle maintenance, and are forbidden to interact with people held inside ICE centers.
Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the deployment reflects President Trump’s promise to remove public safety threats and described it as a whole of government approach.
The Associated Press adds that thousands of troops already patrol sections of the southwest border and have occasionally held migrants in restricted areas until immigration officers arrive.
Last month, 700 Marines and 4,000 California National Guard troops were dispatched to Los Angeles after street protests challenged ICE operations.
According to an arrest report, one person allegedly trespassed on federal property and was briefly held by Marines before city police released the suspect without charges.
Governor Gavin Newsom called the California deployment an illegal end run around state authority, but a federal appeals court later concluded the president likely acted within the law.
Critics say the Florida move could ignite similar showdowns, even as supporters praise added muscle for border security.