The Pentagon is sending some 1,500 troops to help secure the southern border as President Trump pushes to stem the tide of migrants entering the country and crack down on illegal immigration.
Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses is expected to sign a release order on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press, but the exact number of troops and which ones would deploy is still unclear and could fluctuate. Trump had vowed on the campaign trail to send active-duty troops to the border.
The expected deployment comes just two days after Trump signed an executive order authorizing U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) to draft a plan for sending troops to the border.
The executive order demanded detailed operational plans that are now expected in the coming days, but it did not say how many troops would deploy.
NORTHCOM already has a border mission based out of Fort Bliss, Texas, called Joint Task Force-North.
The task force has up to 4,000 U.S. troops authorized for the border mission, primarily from the National Guard, although the number fluctuates and active-duty troops have been sent before.
Their mission is primarily to assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel. U.S. troops are generally assisting CBP with logistical, transportation, detection and monitoring work.
Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border and moved to crack down on illegal immigration through several efforts, including reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy that requires migrants seeking asylum to wait in Mexico.
