The United States military will provide airlift support for the Department of Homeland Security to help deport more than 5,000 illegal aliens currently being detained in San Diego, California, and El Paso, Texas, the Pentagon said.
In a statement on Wednesday, acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses said 1,500 active-duty troops were being deployed to the southern border to support deportation flights and intelligence collection, as well as help construct both temporary and permanent physical barriers.
“This is just the beginning,” Salesses said. “In short order, the Department will develop and execute additional missions in cooperation with DHS, federal agencies, and state partners to address the full range of threats outlined by the president at our nation’s borders.”
President Donald Trump considers the border a “huge priority,” a senior defense official said, stressing that these actions would likely be expanded upon in the future.
“This is the initial effort that we can do right away, and … we anticipate many additional permissions after this,” the official told reporters. “This is just the start.”
According to the official, up to 10,000 troops could be deployed in future missions, but that number was subject to change.
“This is something President Trump campaigned on, the American people have [been] waiting for such a time as this, for our Department of Defense to actually take homeland security seriously,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “This is a number one priority of the American people, and the president has already delivered.”
The Hill reported that 1,000 Army soldiers and 500 Marines were included in the group that was shipping out. Additional helicopter crews and intelligence analysts, as well as C-17 and C-130 transport planes, were also reportedly part of the detachment.
A senior military official told the outlet that the Marines called up for the mission had been on standby for deployment to California to assist with the wildfires there, but that mission was scrapped due to the increasing containment level of the blazes.
Once the additional forces arrive, the total number of troops assigned to the border will be 4,000, the military official said.
Although the soldiers will be armed, the military official told The Hill that “none of the forces that we’re sending there are intended to be used for law enforcement.”
U.S. service members typically help with detection, logistics, transportation, monitoring, and supporting Customs and Border Protection agents.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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