Pentagon Orders 3,750 More Troops to Southwest Border

The Pentagon announced Sunday in a statement it is deploying approximately 3,750 more active duty troops to the southwest border to support the Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The additional troops would raise the number of total active duty troops deployed to the border to 4,350. That is down from a high of 5,900 active duty troops at the border in November. “The Department of Defense will deploy approximately 3,750 additional U.S. forces to provide the additional support to CBP at the southwest border that Acting Secretary of Defense [Patrick] Shanahan approved Jan. 11,” the Pentagon said. A defense spokesperson said all of the 3,750 additional forces are active duty, in addition to the 2,250 National Guard members at the border as part of the separate Guardian Support mission. The Pentagon said the additional support would include a mobile surveillance capability through the end of September 2019, and the putting up of approximately 150 miles of concertina wire between ports of entry. Some of the additional units will be deployed for 90 days, the statement said. “We will continue to evaluate the force composition required to meet the mission to protect and secure the southern border,” the statement said...MORE