New Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents may soon be training on a military base after Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley suggested using Fort Leonard Wood to handle the agency’s surge of recruits.
In a letter sent Sept. 12 to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, Hawley pitched the 97-square-mile Army installation as an ideal site. “My state is grateful for your efforts to reverse the lawless open borders policy of the previous administration,” Hawley wrote, adding that the base has “the infrastructure, experience, and space to support the rapid expansion of ICE’s critical immigration enforcement workforce.”
Noem said on Monday that ICE has received more than 150,000 applications from people looking to join the agency, with over 18,000 tentative job offers already sent out. She credited a major recruitment push under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
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Part of that surge came after ICE waived its age limits, which previously capped applicants between 37 and 40 depending on the role. The change opened the door to more candidates, though applicants still must pass a physical exam that includes push-ups, sit-ups, and a timed run.
Hawley argued that Fort Leonard Wood would be the best place to train this influx of recruits. “To facilitate the swift and effective training of these officers, I wanted to note the potential benefits of utilizing Fort Leonard Wood, a major Army installation in my state,” he wrote.
Fort Leonard Wood, located in south-central Missouri, trains nearly 80,000 military personnel and civilians every year, according to its website. It is also home to the U.S. Army Military Police School and the Marine Corps Police Academy.
Hawley pointed to the base’s ability to expand for large groups quickly. “The installation is able to accommodate sudden surges in its on-base population, and it currently has extra capacity to host additional missions due to the Army Transformation Initiative,” he said.
The proposal highlights the agency’s efforts to rapidly expand its workforce. With tens of thousands of applications pouring in and thousands of tentative offers already out, the agency is facing pressure to find space and resources for training. Hawley’s plan would turn one of the Army’s largest training facilities into a new staging ground for immigration enforcement officers.