Trump Admin Deploys Over 1,000 Additional Troops To The Border To 'Gain Full Operational Control'

The Trump administration has approved sending over 1,000 additional troops to the southern border, part of its ongoing operation to crack down on unlawful immigration.

The new troops will provide "enhanced sustainment, engineering, medical and operational capabilities" to "gain full operational control of the southern border," the Northern Command added in a statement.

The New York Post detailed that the latest deployment (1,115 service members) will bring the total close to 10,000, the figure Trump said he wanted to send to the border at the beginning of his term. A U.S. Northern Command spokesperson told the outlet that there are currently more than 8,000 service members actively patrolling the border.

The New York Times reported last week that the concrete figure is closer to 8,600, along with their advanced military equipment. The figure represents more than a threefold increase from the approximately 2,500 troops stationed at the border at the end of the Biden administration.

The military deployment has included Stryker combat vehicles, U-2 surveillance aircraft, drones, helicopters, and two Navy warships patrolling coastal waters. The mission is expected to continue for years.

So far operations at the border have cost the government over $500 million. Trump's "big, beautiful" bill, which made it through the U.S. House on Thursday provides $175 billion for border security.

The military's role remains supportive rather than law-enforcement oriented, the report added. Troops conduct foot patrols, operate surveillance platforms, and provide intelligence to civilian agencies. The Trump administration has ruled out invoking the Insurrection Act, which would allow active-duty troops to conduct law enforcement.

Troops do perform some enforcement actions in so-called National Defense Areas in Texas and New Mexico. Federal prosecutors have charged dozens of individuals with trespassing. However, a federal judge in New Mexico recently dismissed charges against nearly 100 migrants arrested for entering one such area in New Mexico.

Federal prosecutors had charged migrants with both illegal entry and trespassing under military restrictions, offenses that carried combined penalties of up to ten years in prison.

However, Judge Wormuth found that migrants lacked notice, as attorneys argued that warning signs were inadequate or not yet installed when many migrants crossed.

Migrants still face misdemeanor charges of illegal entry and remain in federal custody. Prosecutors may appeal the dismissals or refile charges with additional evidence.

Unlawful crossings have plummeted during the Trump administration. Agents apprehended fewer than 10,000 migrants in April, a 93% decrease compared to the same month last year, Border Patrol stats show.