Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has approved deploying her state’s Army National Guard troops to the southern border, the Guard confirmed Thursday.
The move marks a sharp shift from Whitmer’s earlier criticism of immigration enforcement and National Guard deployments under former President Trump. During her 2018 gubernatorial campaign, Whitmer appeared to suggest abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and aligned with Democrats who accused the agency of abusing its power and unfairly targeting illegal immigrants.
As recently as June, Whitmer joined other Democratic governors in condemning Trump’s deployment of the California National Guard for immigration operations, calling it “an alarming abuse of power.” The governors argued that state Guards answer to them—not Washington—and cannot be activated without their consent.
However, Whitmer quietly approved the deployment of Michigan’s 1430th Engineer Company to the southern border. The 120-member Traverse City unit will serve up to a year under U.S. Northern Command and Joint Task Force North, supporting Customs and Border Protection—joining other states in what the Trump administration calls the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.
The move follows previous Michigan Guard missions authorized by Whitmer under Title 10 authority in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024. Whitmer’s decision marks a significant break from her party and underscores a notable political shift.
Other Democratic governors, Gavin Newsom of California and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, have resisted or sued the administration over similar National Guard deployments, arguing that using state troops for immigration enforcement exceeds federal authority.
These soldiers are part of the 1430th Engineer Company, based out of Traverse City, Mich. They’re being deployed at the direction of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and are expected to work alongside officers with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.https://t.co/xxRmZRZeXZ
— UpNorthLive News (@upnorthlive) October 17, 2025
