The Virginia National Guard (VNG) says it will deploy about 60 members throughout the state to aid the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with logistics and administration. The members will begin training by the end of August and be on duty by early September.
VNG says that its troops will not conduct law enforcement functions or make arrests. As part of a “support plan,” VNG tasks could include “answering phones, data entry, appointment scheduling, biometric collection, performing basic vehicle maintenance, and tracking fleet expenses and utilization.”
Virginia is one of six Republican-led states that have activated or authorized National Guard troops to assist ICE so far, Newsweek reported.
The Department of Defense changed service members’ duty status to Title 32. Under this status, National Guard personnel can support ICE “in a federally funded and regulated status while remaining under the command and control of their respective state governors.” Nationally, this change could involve up to 1,700 guard members.
VNG personnel will report directly to ICE leadership but will remain under the “control and direction” of the Virginia governor and adjutant general.
This change comes after months of increased ICE activity in Virginia; one recent report showed that ICE arrests were up 350 percent in Virginia since 2024.
Feature image courtesy ICE
