Could Fort Leonard Wood Become an ICE Training Hub?
Imagine new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents honing their skills at a military base. That's the possibility being floated by Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. He's suggested that Fort Leonard Wood could be the ideal location to train the growing number of ICE recruits.
In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, Senator Hawley proposed leveraging the resources of Fort Leonard Wood to support the expansion of ICE's workforce. He believes the base has the necessary infrastructure and capacity to handle the training of thousands of new agents. This comes as the agency faces increasing pressure to bolster its ranks in the wake of evolving immigration policies.
“My state is grateful for your efforts to reverse the lawless open borders policy of the previous administration,” Hawley stated in his letter, emphasizing the base's potential to efficiently support the expansion of the immigration enforcement workforce.
Secretary Noem recently announced that ICE has received a significant influx of applications – over 150,000 in total – and has already extended more than 18,000 tentative job offers. This surge in interest follows a recruitment drive aimed at addressing staffing needs within the agency.
This push to expand the ICE workforce comes as the agency faces mounting pressure and public scrutiny. Finding suitable ICE training facilities is becoming increasingly crucial as they work to onboard these new recruits. The suggestion of using a military base like Fort Leonard Wood offers a potential solution to this logistical challenge.
Senator Hawley highlighted Fort Leonard Wood's capacity, noting that the installation is equipped to handle population surges and currently has extra space due to the Army Transformation Initiative. Located in south-central Missouri, the 97-square-mile Army installation trains nearly 80,000 military personnel and civilians annually, according to its website. It is also home to the U.S. Army Military Police School and the Marine Corps Police Academy.
For those interested in learning more about this developing story, you can read the original article at The Daily Beast.
Whether Fort Leonard Wood will ultimately become a training ground for future ICE agents remains to be seen. The Department of Homeland Security has yet to formally respond to Senator Hawley's proposal, so stay tuned as this story continues to develop! We will continue to provide updates on immigration news and related developments.
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