ICE agents stationed at Marine bases to boost installation security
The U.S. Marine Corps, in collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has quietly initiated a pilot program to station ICE agents at three major military installations: Camp Pendleton in California, Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, and Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
The primary objective of this program is to enhance security around these bases, although it has sparked a debate and raised several questions among experts and the public. Abby Hall Blanco, an economics and defense professor at the University of Tampa, highlighted the lack of transparency surrounding the program’s implementation. She noted that there is limited information available about the background and rationale behind this specific initiative.
A Pentagon official emphasized the cooperative nature of the program, stating that it aligns with the enhanced security measures being implemented at military installations worldwide to deter unauthorized access by foreign nationals. The presence of ICE personnel is intended to bolster installation-level force protection by improving visibility, coordination, and threat awareness at critical access points and surrounding areas.
The decision to involve ICE agents comes in the wake of recent security breaches, such as the attempted breach by two Jordanian nationals at Quantico in 2023. Following this incident, both individuals were apprehended, with one confirmed to be in the U.S. illegally and the other having their student status terminated. Additionally, reports of unauthorized drone flights over military installations and attempts by Chinese nationals to breach U.S. military bases have raised concerns among government officials.
Despite the heightened security measures, some experts have expressed skepticism about the implications of involving ICE in military base security. There are concerns that this move may suggest a lack of confidence in the Marine Corps’ ability to handle security internally. It remains to be seen how the collaborative effort between the Marine Corps and ICE will evolve and whether it will effectively enhance security at the designated military installations.
Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE for further comment on the program. The original article was contributed by Greg Wehner, and the rewritten content aims to capture the key points and insights while presenting the information in a fresh and engaging manner.
