New agents for Immigration and Customs Enforcement may soon find themselves training at a military base, thanks to an offer from a MAGA senator.
Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley floated the idea of using Fort Leonard Wood to train thousands of new ICE recruits in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons.
“My state is grateful for your efforts to reverse the lawless open borders policy of the previous administration,” he wrote in a letter dated Sept. 12, adding that the 97-square-mile Army installation has “the infrastructure, experience, and space to support the rapid expansion of ICE’s critical immigration enforcement workforce.”
Let’s train new ICE agents at Missouri’s very own Fort Leonard Wood. This is about law and order.https://t.co/sWT2LiDp2e
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) September 15, 2025
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an inquiry about Hawley’s offer.
Noem said Monday that ICE had received more than 150,000 applications to join its fast-growing workforce, with over 18,000 tentative job offers already sent out.
The agency launched a massive recruitment blitz to support the Trump administration’s hardline immigration crackdown. Last month, Noem touted a surge in applications after ICE waived age limits. Previously, applicants had to be at least 21 and no older than 37 or 40, depending on the role.
Applicants will still have to undergo a physical exam, which includes sit-ups, push-ups, and running.
ICE has received more than 150,000 applications from patriotic Americans who want to defend the homeland by removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from the U.S. We have already issued more than 18,000 tentative job offers. Americans are answering their…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) September 15, 2025
“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,” Hawley wrote.
Located in South Central Missouri, Fort Leonard Wood trains nearly 80,000 military personnel and civilians each year, according to its website. It also houses the U.S. Army Military Police School and the Marine Corps Police Academy.
“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,” Hawley added.
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