On Saturday, March 1, US officials announced that in order to assist President Trump in fulfilling his core campaign promises of cracking down on illegal immigration and protecting border security, the Pentagon is deploying approximately 3,000 active-duty troops to the US-Mexico border.
The Pentagon stated that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the deployment of a Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) equipped with 20-ton armored vehicles and a General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB) to carry out the mission.
The Stryker armored vehicle is a light armored fighting vehicle that can carry up to 11 soldiers, typically armed with machine guns or grenade launchers, serving as a deterrent to illegal border crossings.
These troops are expected to arrive at the approximately 2000-mile US-Mexico border in the coming weeks. Officials estimate the deployment to consist of around 3,000 personnel. The soldiers primarily come from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division based in Fort Carson, Colorado, and will be joined by soldiers specializing in engineering, intelligence, and public affairs.
An official stated that deploying soldiers to the border for training using armored vehicles will be beneficial in maintaining border security. The official mentioned that these vehicles will be sent to Arizona and may appear in other states as well.
Currently, there are approximately 9,200 US troops stationed at the southern border, including 4,200 soldiers deployed under federal orders and around 5,000 National Guard soldiers commanded by state governors. The Pentagon indicated that the new troops will “enhance and expand existing border security operations to seal the border and protect the integrity of US territory.”
During his previous term, President Trump deployed 8,000 troops to the border, but their tasks mainly involved erecting several miles of fencing and providing logistical support to Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Determined to expand the role of the military in his second term, Trump aims to close the border and repatriate detained immigrants. Since Trump took office, illegal border crossings have sharply declined.
(Information reference: The Associated Press, The Washington Post)