The U.S.-Mexico border has been a political battleground for years. Immigration policies shift with each administration, but the issue remains a central debate.
Now, the U.S. military is preparing to send nearly 3,000 more troops to the border, reports Ziare. This will bring the total number of deployed soldiers to around 9,000.
The move reflects the Trump administration’s focus on tightening border security.
The U.S. Northern Command (Northcom) confirmed the deployment in a statement. These troops will assist the Border Patrol with security efforts.
However, they will not be involved in blocking migrants or carrying out deportations.
Their duties will include surveillance, administrative tasks, and logistical support. They will also help increase air transport capacity along the border.
General Gregory Guillot, head of Northcom, said the added forces will provide more flexibility to handle illegal migration and drug trafficking.
The administration sees this as a necessary step in controlling the situation at the southern border.
Trump made immigration enforcement a priority as soon as he returned to office. On his first day, he signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency at the border.
Two days later, he ordered 1,500 additional troops to be sent. He has accused Mexico of failing to stop illegal immigration and drug smuggling, particularly fentanyl, which has caused a crisis in the U.S.
During his election campaign, Trump used strong language about immigration. He claimed that undocumented migrants were criminals and pledged to launch the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.
The Department of Homeland Security estimated that around 11 million undocumented immigrants lived in the U.S. in 2022.
The Border Patrol reported about 8.8 million stops of undocumented migrants at the border during Joe Biden’s presidency.
The number of crossings peaked in late 2023 before dropping sharply toward the end of his term.
Trump took credit for the decline. He stated on social media that February had the lowest number of border crossings in history.
He declared that the "invasion of our country is over." His administration is pressuring Latin American countries to accept deported citizens and is also targeting sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
To speed up deportations, the administration is considering holding up to 30,000 illegal immigrants at the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba.
This would be in addition to the existing 40,000 detention spaces already in use within the U.S.
The border issue continues to be a major focus, with tough policies expected to remain in place.
