Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, at the direction of President Donald Trump, ordered a Stryker Brigade Combat Team and an aviation battalion to a border security mission. They will arrive in coming weeks, according to Defense Department officials who were not authorized to speak publicly.
The troops add to a growing U.S. military presence on the border. In January, Trump ordered 1,500 active-duty troops to support about 2,500 National Guard and Reserve troops already there. Headquarters personnel from the 10th Mountain Division have been at the border for about a week to help direct the operation, one official said.
The soldiers will support the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials who will deal directly with migrants at the border. The soldiers will set up observation posts, conduct patrols and call ICE officials when they see breaches in the border. They do not have authority to make arrests. Between 2,500 and 3,000 new troops will be sent in this deployment, the official said.
Trump has declared a national emergency at the border to address immigration challenges, which were the hallmark of presidential campaign. Previous administrations have also sent active-duty troops to the border.
The Pentagon has taken more steps recently to increase the military presence at the border. In late February, the Army began planning to house as many as 30,000 migrant detainees at bases inside the United States.
Fort Bliss in Texas and Fort Huachuca in Arizona have been identified as likely sites for such detention camps. Officials have been taking inventory of tents and razor wire in preparation
