Pentagon Announces Deployment of 1,500 Active Duty Troops for US-Mexico Border Security

The Pentagon is set to deploy up to 1,500 active duty troops to the southern border soon, according to US officials. This move aligns with President Donald Trump's executive orders aimed at tightening immigration controls. Acting Defence Secretary Robert Salesses was expected to approve the deployment orders, although details on which units will be involved remain unclear. The total number of troops could change.

Currently, around 2,500 National Guard and Reserve forces are stationed at the border. The new active duty troops will assist with logistics, transportation, and barrier construction. Historically, both Trump and former President Joe Biden have sent troops for similar tasks. However, under the Posse Comitatus Act, troops are barred from law enforcement duties unless the Insurrection Act is invoked.

Potential Changes in Military Roles

Trump has instructed a review of whether the Insurrection Act should be used, which would allow military involvement in civilian law enforcement. The last invocation of this act was during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. This deployment is part of Trump's broader strategy to increase military presence at the border, a plan he emphasized early in his presidency.

In one of his initial directives, Trump tasked the defence secretary with creating a plan to secure borders and prevent illegal migration. On Tuesday, following the dismissal of Coast Guard commandant Adm Linda Fagan, more resources were directed to the Gulf of America, reflecting Trump's order to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

Military personnel have been consistently deployed to the border since the 1990s to combat migration issues and transnational crime. In 2018, Trump ordered over 7,000 active duty troops to Texas, Arizona, and California in response to a migrant caravan. These troops provided logistical support but did not engage in law enforcement activities.

Logistical Support and Past Deployments

During past deployments, military personnel assisted border patrol agents by transporting them and erecting barriers. They also offered medical care, meals, and temporary housing for agents. The possibility of using military bases to house detained migrants remains uncertain. Such facilities have previously been used for Afghan evacuees after Kabul's fall in 2021.

In his inaugural address, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border. He vowed to stop illegal entry and begin deporting millions of undocumented immigrants. Executive orders signed on Monday suggested military support for Homeland Security with detention space and logistics.

The deployment announcement is pending official confirmation as officials spoke anonymously due to its sensitive nature. This move marks an early step in Trump's long-term plan to expand military involvement along the US-Mexico border.