National Guard Ordered To Support Trump Border Executive Action

The National Guard is deploying additional troops to the southern border to assist with President Trump's directive for the military to help secure migration enforcement.

In a Wednesday night statement, the National Guard Bureau said it was sending more resources to assist U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), which is leading a task force to handle the border mission with support from the Department of Homeland Security and Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM).

Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said more than 1,600 National Guard troops are already deployed to the border along with more than 4,100 Texas National Guard personnel.

"In conjunction with our Joint Service partners, we are developing additional support options to meet USNORTHCOM, USTRANSCOM and Department of Homeland Security force requirements as this critical mission evolves," Nordhaus said in a statement.

Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses ordered 1,500 active-duty troops to the border earlier this week, a detachment that is expected to soon be fully deployed. It consists of 1,000 Army soldiers and 500 Marines.

The Pentagon said the deployment is just the initial response, and expects more resources and potentially up to 10,000 troops to deploy, though that number is not considered final.

Trump declared the border a national emergency this week soon after taking office and also signed an executive order directing NORTHCOM to come up with detailed plans for border enforcement.

The U.S. has long deployed troops to the border under its Joint Task Force North mission, which primarily consists of National Guard forces assisting Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with logistics, detection and monitoring and transportation.

Salesses, however, has asked troops to assist with deportation flights and constructing temporary and permanent barriers on the border. The National Guard said Wednesday it was increasing support for military airlift and barrier construction.