The Pentagon is deploying 1,500 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. The move aligns with a directive issued by former President Donald Trump to enhance border security and address illegal immigration.
The troops, including 1,000 Army soldiers and 500 Marines, will join the 2,500 service members already in place to assist Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Their responsibilities will include aerial reconnaissance, vehicle maintenance, data entry, construction of border barriers, and transporting detained migrants using military aircraft.
Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses stated that the troops will use helicopters to assist Border Patrol agents and aid in barrier construction. The Pentagon will also provide military aircraft for deportation flights organized by the Department of Homeland Security, transporting over 5,000 detained migrants.
The Defense official said the department is ready to deploy additional troops if requested, including up to 2,000 more Marines.
The deployment follows similar actions in recent years. In 2018, thousands of troops were sent to the border to address a migrant caravan. More recently, in May 2023, President Joe Biden authorized the deployment of 1,500 troops to support CBP operations after the expiration of pandemic-era health restrictions.
The deployment is expected to be completed by the end of the month, with officials indicating that this may be the first phase of a broader effort to strengthen border security and assist CBP with ongoing operational demands.
