Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced that the Arkansas National Guard will assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Arkansas under the Title 32 Program. Up to 40 unarmed Guardsmen will be assigned across Little Rock, Fort Smith, Fayetteville, and Camp Robinson to provide logistical and administrative support, including detainee transport and processing.
Sanders said this builds on her Defense Against Criminal Illegals Act, which enhanced penalties for illegal immigrants who commit crimes in Arkansas, expanded the state’s sanctuary ban, and required local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials.
The decision follows a Department of Homeland Security request approved by the Department of Defense in July, with all costs federally funded. Arkansas previously deployed troops to the southern border in 2023 and 2024.
Sanders tied the move to President Trump’s immigration policies, noting record-low illegal crossings since his return to office. The Governor also pointed to several high-profile crimes committed by illegal immigrants in Arkansas in recent years, saying, “Violent, criminal illegal immigrants have no place in Arkansas.”
Read Governor Sanders’ full press release HERE.
