Supporting Border Surveillance and Barrier Construction… Military Transport for Deporting Illegal Immigrants
No Law Enforcement… Coast Guard Expands Boats and Aircraft in ‘American Gulf’
The U.S.-Mexico border
[AFP Yonhap News File. No reselling or database storage]
Washington (Yonhap News) by Correspondent Kang Byung-chul and Kim Dong-hyun – As the second Trump administration in the U.S. intensifies border control and deportation of illegal immigrants, the Department of Defense has decided to deploy 1,500 active duty soldiers to the southern border to support these policies.
Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses announced on the 22nd (local time) that the Department of Defense has begun sending an additional 1,500 ground personnel, helicopters, and intelligence analysts to the southwestern U.S. border to support border surveillance activities.
Through this, the Army presence at the southwestern border will increase by 60%, Acting Secretary Salesses explained. According to AP, there are currently 2,500 troops, including the National Guard and reserve forces, at the southwestern border.
Acting Secretary Salesses stated that the Department of Defense plans to provide military transport aircraft needed to deport over 5,000 illegal immigrants detained by immigration authorities in San Diego, California, and El Paso, Texas.
The Department of Defense also plans to support the construction of physical barriers at the border to prevent illegal entry and human trafficking.
Acting Secretary Salesses said, “This is just the beginning. Soon, the Department of Defense will cooperate with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), federal government agencies, and state government partners to plan and execute additional missions to respond to the extensive threats at our country’s borders as identified by the President.”
According to the Washington Post (WP), a government official stated that the military is planning to deploy up to 10,000 troops.
Meanwhile, the Coast Guard announced that it has ordered the rapid strengthening of assets such as speedboats, aircraft, and boats in border areas to block illegal entry and smuggling.
The Coast Guard has included the Gulf of America in the areas where troops will be dispatched.
Previously, President Trump stated that he would rename the region from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
Active-duty soldiers are expected to take on missions to support border patrol through logistics, transportation, and barrier construction.
Additionally, there is interest from U.S. media and others regarding whether active-duty soldiers will take on direct control missions at the southern border.
Under the Posse Comitatus Act, active-duty military personnel are prohibited from engaging in domestic law enforcement tasks, but there is potential for this to change.
However, a government official stated that the troops being sent this time will not engage in law enforcement, as reported by Reuters. The 1,500 troops include 500 Marines.
If the second Trump administration starts deploying U.S. military to the southern border, the impact on U.S. military deployments overseas will also be a point of focus.
Last July, the Republican Party adopted policies at its convention stating that it would use all necessary resources for border security, including relocating thousands of U.S. troops currently stationed overseas to the southern border.