Trump orders thousands of active duty troops to the southern border to support CBP crackdown on migrants
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The exact number of troops is not immediately clear. Two days after being sworn in, President Donald Trump has ordered thousands of troops to the southern border, according to a report. On Monday, Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency at the U.S.’s border with Mexico, allowing the National Guard and military personnel to be sent to the border.
It’s not immediately clear how many or which units are being deployed. These troops are not authorized to conduct arrests or seize drugs or interact with migrants aside from transporting them to other facilities, according to the outlet. There are already roughly 2,200 active duty forces at the border as part of Joint Task Force-North, helping support CBP’s efforts in the region by detecting and monitoring and conducting other logistical tasks, the outlet reported.
The move comes days into Trump’s second administration. He has already signed multiple executive orders that will support his plan for a crackdown on migrants at the southern border. Among this flurry of orders, Trump signed one Monday declaring a national emergency at the southern border. The president also ordered the construction of additional physical barriers.
In his order, Trump wrote: “The Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of each relevant military department, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, shall order as many units or members of the Armed Forces, including the Ready Reserve and the National Guard, as the Secretary of Defense determines to be appropriate to support the activities of the Secretary of Homeland Security in obtaining complete operational control of the southern border of the United States.”.
