Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) announced on Monday he authorized National Guard troops to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel in the Peach State.
A string of states have committed National Guard resources to help ICE with administrative and logistical functions in order for federal immigration agents to be further utilized in field operations targeting illegal immigrants.
Kemp this week revealed Georgia would join the effort, saying 75 National Guard troops would undergo training in mid-September, “and should be on duty shortly thereafter” to work at ICE facilities in Georgia. The governor’s announcement comes after ICE arrests have already surged by 367% in the state this year, with 4,500 illegal immigrants arrested in the state between January 20 and July 31.
The Georgia deployment is part of a nationwide plan announced by the Trump administration over the weekend, in which at least 19 different states are authorizing around 1,700 troops to support ICE.
In Georgia, troops will perform tasks such as appointment scheduling, biometric collection, data entry, performing basic vehicle maintenance, and tracking vehicle fleet expenses/utilization in order to free up ICE agents to make arrests and carry out more direct enforcement functions.
