The White House announced on Wednesday that an additional 1,500 active-duty troops, including 500 Marines, Army helicopter crews, and intelligence analysts, will be deployed to the US-Mexico border. This decision comes just two days after President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order on immigration, reinforcing his administration’s focus on border security.
The new deployment will join the 2,200 active-duty troops and thousands of National Guard personnel already stationed at the southern border. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated, “This comes off of [Trump’s] day one action to ensure the southern border is secure,” emphasizing the administration’s commitment to tightening border controls.
Trump’s executive order designates illegal immigration as a national emergency and directs the Department of Defense to prioritize homeland security. The order includes a ban on asylum and measures to restrict citizenship for children born on US soil. It also instructs the Pentagon to deploy as many troops as necessary to achieve “complete operational control” of the border, with a 90-day timeline to evaluate additional actions.
Among those measures under consideration is the potential invocation of the rarely-used Insurrection Act of 1807, which allows the president to deploy military forces domestically to address unrest. Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses confirmed that the military would provide logistical support for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-led deportations.
The logistical assistance includes organizing flights to deport more than 5,000 immigrants currently held in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California. “DHS will provide in-flight law enforcement, and the State Department will secure the necessary diplomatic clearances,” Salesses added.
The move underscores Trump’s continued efforts to fortify border security, a hallmark of his immigration policy. During his first presidency, Trump deployed 5,200 troops to the southern border. This latest action signals a renewed push to solidify control over immigration and border operations during his second term.
