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President Donald Trump has authorized the deployment of 200 U.S. Marines to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Florida, intensifying federal efforts to crack down on illegal immigration. The move follows a formal request from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and signals a sharp expansion of Trump’s immigration agenda.
This latest deployment comes just weeks after 700 Marines were sent to Los Angeles to support ICE during anti-immigration protests—an action that sparked fierce backlash from California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Why the Marines Are Being Sent to Florida
U.S. Northern Command confirmed that these troops will serve in administrative and logistical roles only. They will not interact directly with detainees or participate in enforcement operations.
“These Marines are the first wave of U.S. Northern Command’s support of this ICE mission,” the agency said, with additional deployments expected across Texas and Louisiana.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told CBS News the Marines will assist with processing operations at ICE facilities, calling it a “whole-of-government approach to deliver on President Trump’s mandate.”
The “Big, Beautiful Bill” That Changed Everything
The deployment comes just as Trump signed into law the sweeping Big, Beautiful Bill, a $3.3 trillion legislative package that includes more than $150 billion in new border and immigration enforcement funding.
The bill allocates:
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$46 billion to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for border wall construction and tech upgrades.
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$30 billion to ICE for detention centers, deportation infrastructure, and personnel expansion.
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$1.2 trillion in federal spending cuts, with significant reductions to Medicaid.
The Congressional Budget Office projects the tax cuts included in the bill will cost $4.5 trillion over the next decade.
AOC Sounds the Alarm
Progressive lawmakers are sounding the alarm over the expansion of ICE. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) took to Bluesky to deliver a blistering rebuke:
“This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion—making ICE bigger than the FBI, Bureau of Prisons, DEA, and others combined. People are disappearing.”
Her comments went viral within hours, sparking renewed debate about immigration enforcement and civil liberties under the new law.
ICE Expansion and “Alligator Alcatraz”
Trump also recently opened the new detention facility nicknamed Alligator Alcatraz, located deep in the Florida Everglades. Surrounded by miles of swamp and barbed wire, the facility can house thousands of detainees and is operated by the Florida National Guard.
“Pretty soon, this facility will handle some of the most vicious people on the planet,” Trump said during a tour. “The only way out, really, is deportation.”
He floated the possibility of similar detention centers being built in other states—and even suggested that U.S. citizens found violating immigration laws could be deported under future reforms.
Military Involvement Expands Nationwide
In addition to the Marines in Florida, 8,500 active-duty troops are currently deployed along the U.S.-Mexico border for construction, logistics, and operational support. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has authorized an additional 700 military personnel to assist ICE in Florida, Texas, and Louisiana.
This unprecedented level of military involvement in domestic immigration enforcement represents a turning point in federal policy.
Criticism from All Sides
While progressives like AOC decry the bill as authoritarian, critics on the right—including Elon Musk—have also voiced concern.
Musk slammed the bill as “political suicide” and warned it could damage innovation by “throwing money at dying institutions.”
Looking Ahead
The Trump Administration has made it clear that mass deportations and expanded immigration enforcement are top priorities heading into 2026. With military support now backing ICE in multiple states, and billions allocated for infrastructure and staffing, immigration policy has entered a new era.
