Pentagon to Deploy Additional 1,500 Active-Duty Troops to U.S.-Mexico Border After Trump's Executive Orders

Jan 22, 2025, 06:13 PM

The Pentagon is deploying up to 1,500 additional active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border following President Donald Trump's recent executive orders issued shortly after he took office. The deployment, set to begin in the coming days, aims to bolster border security efforts to curb illegal immigration. The troops will augment the existing 2,500 active-duty personnel and 4,500 National Guard members already supporting Customs and Border Protection at the southern border, bringing the total number of active-duty troops to approximately 4,000. The deployment includes specialists in intelligence to assist in assessing potential threats along migration routes. Officials indicated that the Defense Department may deploy up to 10,000 troops if directed by the President. Additionally, Border Patrol agents have been instructed to deny entry to asylum seekers who have traveled through a country with a communicable disease, as part of the administration's intensified immigration policies.