Thu Jan 23 04:56:25 UTC 2025: ## 1,500 Active Duty Troops Deployed to US Southern Border
**Washington, D.C. –** The Pentagon announced Wednesday the deployment of 1,500 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to bolster border security efforts. This deployment, ordered by President Donald Trump, marks a significant escalation of military involvement in immigration enforcement.
Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses stated that the troops will assist Border Patrol agents with helicopter support and barrier construction. Additionally, the Air Force will provide aircraft for the deportation of over 5,000 detained migrants. Salesses emphasized that this is an initial deployment, with plans for further troop deployments and expanded missions in cooperation with other federal and state agencies. Up to an additional 2,000 Marines are on standby.
The troops will join approximately 2,500 National Guard and Reserve personnel already stationed at the border. This is the first time active-duty troops have been deployed along the entire 2,000-mile border since President Trump’s first term. The deployment includes 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton and the remainder from the Army. The troops are prohibited from performing law enforcement duties under the Posse Comitatus Act, although President Trump has ordered a review of the Insurrection Act of 1807, which could potentially grant them such authority.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the deployment fulfills a key campaign promise and prioritizes homeland security. President Trump has declared a national emergency at the southern border, vowing to halt illegal entry and deport millions of immigrants. While military assistance at the border has been ongoing since the 1990s, this deployment represents a substantial increase in active-duty personnel. The use of military bases to house detained migrants remains under consideration. Past experiences with such use have revealed logistical challenges and strained resources.
First Piper 