Key Takeaways:

• The Pentagon will deploy up to 1,500 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border as part of a renewed immigration crackdown.
• This deployment follows President Trump’s executive orders aimed at enhancing border security shortly after taking office.
• Currently, approximately 2,500 National Guard and Reserve forces are already assisting at the border with logistical support.

In a significant move to bolster national security, the Pentagon has announced the deployment of up to 1,500 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. This action aligns with directives put forth by President Donald Trump, who has emphasized a stricter immigration policy since the beginning of his administration. Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses confirmed that this deployment is aimed at supporting U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, focusing on logistical tasks such as transportation and barriers construction, as well as providing military aircraft for future deportation efforts.

Details of this deployment come in the wake of a critical vote in Congress, which passed legislation allowing for the pretrial incarceration of foreign criminal suspects, a move aimed at highlighting perceived weaknesses in border security from previous administrations. The newly deployed troops will join approximately 2,500 National Guard and Reserve forces already at the southern border, although active-duty military personnel have not been routinely stationed there in recent years. The troops are expected to take on roles including augmenting Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) activities, although they remain prohibited from engaging in law enforcement roles unless the Insurrection Act is invoked.

Recent reports state that the addition of these active-duty troops is part of a broader effort to manage immigration, amid increased flows of migrants at the border, which has stressed current resources. The deployment underscores an ongoing trend where military capabilities are utilized to support law enforcement efforts at the border, something that has not been widespread in recent history. Trump’s administration previously ordered active-duty troops to the border in response to heightened migrant caravans, with over 7,000 personnel deployed in 2018.

As this deployment unfolds, it raises questions about the future role of military personnel along the border and the potential implications for U.S. immigration policy. The administration is under pressure to provide clarity on how these additional resources will improve border operations, especially considering the legal constraints imposed by the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits military involvement in domestic law enforcement activities.

For further details, you can read the full articles from VOA News, USA Today, and Los Angeles Times.