The Marine Corps attempted to reassure military families Wednesday that no immigration enforcement would take place during upcoming boot camp graduation ceremonies, following significant backlash over the planned involvement of federal agents.
The service blamed an internal communications failure for a notice posted Tuesday on the website for Parris Island, the famed training facility in South Carolina.
The notice stated that federal law enforcement “will be present at installation access points to conduct enhanced screening and lawful immigration status inquiries” of recruits’ families, according to The Washington Post.
The announcement, first reported by NBC News, sparked immediate criticism from immigrant advocates and Democratic lawmakers, who questioned the collaboration between the military and an agency central to the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Defense officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Post that the original message was requested by an official at Parris Island and published without the approval of senior Marine Corps leaders at the Pentagon. One official described the incident as a “self-inflicted gunshot wound,” while another characterized it as a “step on a rake” moment.
Following the outcry, the service updated the notice on its website Tuesday to remove any mention of immigration status.
The revised message now states that federal law enforcement will be present due to “increased force protection measures and to expedite enhanced base access procedures” during graduation events.
“We want these families to go see their kids graduate,” Lt. Col. Joshua Benson, a spokesperson for the service, told The Post. “We want these families to see their sons and daughters become United States Marines.”
The controversy follows a directive from Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, head of Northern Command, to bolster security at US military installations in response to the ongoing war in Iran. These measures include random vehicle inspections and identification checks for all visitors.
During a graduation ceremony March 6, heightened security led to significant traffic delays at the Parris Island gates, one of the military officials told The Post. To prevent further bottlenecks at ceremonies that can draw up to 5,000 people, commanders requested additional law enforcement support. The Department of Homeland Security responded by offering personnel from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
While ICE’s primary mission is the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants, its agents have recently been used to bolster security at airports and other federal sites. However, the presence of the agency at military events remains a sensitive issue.
Recent data suggests the Marine Corps has the highest percentage of Hispanics in the military. A 2024 Department of Defense study found that 29.3 percent of active-duty Marines identify as Hispanic or Latino, significantly higher than the national average of approximately 20 percent.
The mix-up has drawn sharp criticism from veteran lawmakers. Senator Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat and Marine veteran, told The Post he was “disturbed” by the reports.
“The American public wants the ICE and DHS to go after criminals that are dangerous to this country, not to go after people whose sons and daughters are joining to go to war right now,” Gallego said, describing boot camp graduations as “sacred” events.
DHS officials have denied that any arrests were planned for the Parris Island events, labeling reports of potential enforcement actions as “blatant fake news.”
But a Marine Corps’ spokesperson for Parris Island acknowledged that this is the first time in “recent memory” that federal law enforcement has supported base access operations in this specific capacity, according to NBC News.
Graduation ceremonies are scheduled to proceed Friday. The Marine Corps has advised all visitors to bring proper identification, such as REAL IDs or passports, to ensure a “smooth and timely” entry process.
Source: independent.co.uk