Missouri Guard to Support ICE Processing Facilities

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has authorized the Missouri National Guard to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facilities across the state beginning Oct. 1, 2025, with administrative, clerical and logistical support such as data entry and case management. The move follows requests from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense and authorizes Guardsmen to serve under Title 32 — remaining under the governor’s command while federally funded — through Sept. 30, 2026. Kehoe said the support will allow ICE to focus on core enforcement and security functions and framed the action as necessary to protect public safety and uphold the rule of law in support of the Trump administration’s immigration efforts. Participation is reported to be voluntary, but officials have not disclosed how many guardspeople were selected, and some outlets noted uncertainty about whether the authorization will immediately produce on-the-ground deployments. The announcement drew criticism from Democrats including Rep. Ray Reed, who said the decision distracts from local priorities and does not make communities safer.