Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe is dispatching the Missouri National Guard to support President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement efforts.
The Republican governor announced on Tuesday that, starting on Wednesday, members of the Missouri National Guard will "assist with administrative, clerical, and logistical duties at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facilities within the State of Missouri."
"Public safety, keeping Missourians safe, and upholding the rule of law is our administration's top priority," Kehoe said in a statement. "The Missouri National Guard is uniquely equipped to provide this essential administrative support, and we are confident their contributions will be invaluable to immigration enforcement efforts. Missouri is proud to join in the Trump administration's efforts to keep our state and nation secure."
Kehoe's move comes as the Trump administration's immigration enforcement tactics are garnering a broader public outcry, most notably this week in Chicago. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has called on Chicago residents to film ICE personnel spotted downtown.
When asked if the Missouri National Guard will protect ICE facilities or ICE personnel detaining people who are suspected in being in the country unlawfully, Kehoe spokeswoman Gabby Picard said members of the Guard will assist "with tasks such as data entry, case management, and logistical support, enabling ICE personnel to focus on core enforcement and security functions."
Picard said 15 members of the Missouri National Guard will participate in the mission.
State Rep. Bill Hardwick, R-Pulaski County, said Kehoe's mission is not a deployment and is markedly different from what occurred earlier this year in Los Angeles. That involved Trump nationalizing the California National Guard and having the troops protect ICE facilities from protesters.
"This is not a force protection mission," said Hardwick, who is a member of the Missouri National Guard but was speaking in his capacity as a state lawmaker.
He also said that the members of the Guard who volunteer to undertake this mission will be under Kehoe's command – not Trump's.
"I think what the governor is doing is a good thing," Hardwick said. "I think it's a good opportunity for soldiers to get experience and to do a good job."
Kehoe's decision drew criticism from Democratic state Rep. Ray Reed, D-St. Louis County, who contended that the GOP governor should not be helping Trump with his immigration policies.
"Missouri's National Guard exists to protect Missourians in times of crisis, like floods, tornadoes, natural disasters," Reed said. "It's really like just political theater designed to score some points with Donald Trump, not really actions that make communities across Missouri any safer."
Although members of the Guard are voluntarily signing up for this mission and will focus on administrative work, Reed still said their energies would be best expended elsewhere.
"They're heroes who generally answer the call to help the state and our darkest hours," Reed said. "They sign up to protect their neighbors, not do clerical work for Trump's broken immigration system."
Kehoe's office said that Missouri National Guard personnel assigned for the mission were selected on a volunteer basis and that their efforts to assist ICE will last until Sept. 30, 2026.
This story has been updated with more details from Kehoe's office and comments from state lawmakers.
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