Trained to Serve vs. Trained to Scare: What Sets the National Guard Apart From ICE

There’s a big difference between the National Guard and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—in training, purpose, and the way they show up in our communities.

The National Guard is part of the U.S. military. Every state has its own Guard, made up of citizen-soldiers who can be called up by the governor or the President to respond to emergencies or natural disasters. Guard members go through the same basic combat training as active-duty Army soldiers—about 10 weeks of boot camp—followed by specialized training that can last months, depending on their job. They also train regularly: one weekend a month and two weeks a year, often deploying for disasters or overseas missions. When the Guard shows up, they’re in uniform, with clear patches, ranks, and marked vehicles. Everyone knows who they are.

ICE is completely different. It’s not part of the military—it’s a civilian agency within the Department of Homeland Security that enforces immigration laws inside the U.S., and its officers get far less training than soldiers. Over the summer, the Trump administration directed more than $70 billion in funding to expand ICE and accelerate new hires. To meet those hiring goals, the agency shortened its training program by 5 weeks. The rush has come at a cost: roughly one-third of recruits fail to meet basic fitness standards and hires have already shown that they lack judgment and character. 

But the most striking difference is how ICE now operates in the field. Officers often show up in plain clothes, masks, and unmarked vehicles, with no clear badges or agency markings. They often ignore the rules — using fear, violence, force, and intimidation, and even arresting U.S. citizens in the process. 

ICE’s conduct has become so deplorable that it’s indistinguishable from criminal behavior. The FBI even issued a warning that individuals impersonating ICE officers have carried out robberies, kidnappings and sexual assaults in several states—a chilling consequence of ICE’s enforcement methods that have blurred the lines of legitimate authority.

The National Guard shows up to help. ICE shows up to scare. One arrives in uniform, clearly marked and trained to serve; the other hides behind masks and unmarked cars. If safety and trust are the goals, then visibility, professionalism, and accountability shouldn’t be optional.