The Pentagon plans to deploy up to 1,500 active-duty troops to help secure the southern border in the coming days, U.S. officials announced on Wednesday.
The officials provided this information to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, as the announcement has not yet been made public. This move enacts President Donald Trump's executive orders issued shortly after he took office to intensify immigration enforcement.
Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses is anticipated to sign the deployment orders on Wednesday. However, it is not yet clear which troops or units will be deployed, and the total number of troops may vary. It remains uncertain whether the troops will engage in law enforcement activities, which would assign them a role not performed by American troops in recent history.
The deployed forces are expected to assist border patrol agents by providing logistics, transportation, and constructing barriers.
More to follow.
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Gabe Whisnant AND Andrew Stanton
Gabe Whisnant is Deputy Weekend Editor at Newsweek based in South Carolina. Prior to joining Newsweek in 2023, he directed ...
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