Trump deploys 1,500 service members to boost security at the southern border

By avagrace // 2025-01-24

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President Donald Trump has deployed 1,500 additional active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to bolster security efforts, following an executive order signed two days after his inauguration.
The new troops will join 2,200 personnel already stationed there, focusing on detection, monitoring, logistical support and air operations, while also preparing for deportation flights.
The deployment raises legal and policy questions about the military's domestic role, as the Posse Comitatus Act restricts active-duty troops from law enforcement without explicit authorization.
This move aligns with the administration's broader strategy to curb illegal immigration, despite recent declines in daily border crossings to between 1,100 and 1,300.
The administration aims to regain "complete operational control" of the border, reflecting Trump's campaign promise to halt illegal entry and deport undocumented immigrants.

President Donald Trump's administration has ordered an additional 1,500 active-duty members of the United States Armed Forces to reinforce security efforts along the country's border with Mexico. This deployment comes just two days after Trump's inauguration and signing of an executive order mandating an increased military presence at the border to combat illegal immigration and protect national security. The additional troops will join the roughly 2,200 active-duty personnel already stationed at the border as part of Joint Task Force-North, an operation based in El Paso, Texas, that supports Customs and Border Protection (CBP). These forces primarily handle logistical and administrative tasks, such as data entry, vehicle maintenance and detection and monitoring operations. (Related: Trump’s border czar demands cooperation from state and local law enforcement.) The new deployment includes 500 servicemembers from the Marine Corps taken from Camp Pendleton in California, as well as Army personnel, helicopter crews and intelligence analysts. These troops will focus on enhancing detection and monitoring capabilities, providing logistical support and assisting with air operations. Notably, the Pentagon has also been instructed to prepare military aircraft, including C-17s and C-130s, to support Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-led deportation flights for over 5,000 migrants detained in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California. While the immediate mission of these troops is to support CBP operations, their presence raises important questions about the broader role of the military in domestic security. Under the Posse Comitatus Act, active-duty troops are prohibited from engaging in law enforcement activities, such as making arrests or conducting searches, without explicit authorization. However, this hasn't stopped Trump from directing the DHS and the Department of Defense to assess whether he can invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 – a law that allows the president to deploy the military for domestic law enforcement – for a 90-day period to make the use of the military legal in domestic operations. The decision to send additional troops reflects the administration's broader strategy to curb illegal immigration and strengthen border security. During his first term, Trump deployed over 5,000 active-duty troops to the border in response to a migrant caravan in 2018. Similarly, the administration of former President Joe Biden also sent troops to assist with border operations, highlighting the persistent challenges faced by federal agencies in managing migrant flows.

Illegal border crossings already declining

The current deployment is part of a larger effort to alleviate the strain on federal resources, which have been stretched thin by years of surging migrant crossings. While the number of illegal border crossings has recently declined to between 1,100 and 1,300 per day, the administration is taking proactive steps to prevent future surges. By augmenting CBP's capabilities, the additional troops will allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement to refocus its efforts on arresting undocumented immigrants already residing in the U.S. The Trump administration’s approach to border security has been a cornerstone of its policy agenda, with Trump vowing to "halt all illegal entry" and return millions of undocumented immigrants to their countries of origin. Watch this clip from Fox Business showing Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the southern border. This video is from the TrendingNews channel at Brighteon.com.

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Illegal border crossings already declining

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