Could the collaboration between the Marine Corps and ICE redefine the security landscape at America’s most crucial military bases?
At a Glance
● The U.S. Marine Corps has launched a new pilot program with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to bolster security at three major bases.
● The program places ICE agents at entry gates to help screen for and deter unauthorized access by foreign nationals.
● The partnership is being implemented at MCB Camp Pendleton, MCB Quantico, and MCB Hawaii.
● The move is part of an ongoing effort to improve security after several recent incidents of foreign nationals breaching U.S. military installations.
A New Alliance to Protect Our Military Bases
In a bold and common-sense move to protect our nation’s most sensitive military installations, the U.S. Marine Corps has teamed up with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enhance security at base entry points.
The new pilot program places ICE agents at the gates of three major Marine Corps bases to help screen for and deter unauthorized access by foreign nationals.
The three bases included in the “proof-of-concept” program are MCB Camp Pendleton in
California, MCB Quantico in Virginia, and MCB Hawaii.
A Response to a Growing Threat
The new partnership is part of an ongoing effort to harden military bases against the growing threat of foreign infiltration and espionage. It comes in the wake of a series of alarming incidents where foreign nationals, including Chinese citizens, have gained unauthorized access to U.S. military bases, sometimes by claiming they were simply following misleading GPS directions to a nearby fast-food restaurant.
Chinese citizens posing as tourists but suspected of being spies have made several attempts in recent years to gain access to military facilities in this vast state studded with sensitive bases, according to U.S. officials. https://t.co/VRrwTj1kGo
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) May 31, 2023
“The collaboration with ICE is not in response to a specific incident but rather is part of an ongoing effort to constantly improve our security posture to protect our most valued resource: our people,” Marine Corps Captain Kevin Uebelhardt told the Marine Corps Times.
How the Partnership Works
Under the new program, ICE agents will use their expertise and technology to assist the Marine law enforcement personnel who are responsible for base security. They will help with identity verification and screening at the gates to better detect fraudulent documents and identify individuals who may pose a security risk.
Why are we diverting ICE to "protect" the military?"
If the Marines can't man their own gates and ask people for ID, or search vehicles, and they need ICE to do this, "Houston, we have a problem."
https://t.co/871AqR4oAp— Daniel Horowitz (@RMConservative) May 22, 2025
As explained by Military.com, the Marines themselves will not be enforcing immigration law; they will remain in charge of base security. “Our partnership with ICE enhances installation-level force protection by increasing visibility, coordination, and threat awareness at critical access points and in surrounding areas,” said Capt. Uebelhardt. The Marine Corps has assured base residents that day-to-day life will remain unchanged, though the enhanced screening may lead to slightly longer processing times at the gates.
