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The National Guard has more than 1,600 Guardsmen along the U.S.-Mexico border ready when called upon to support President Donald Trump's recent executive order to "protect the territorial integrity of the United States," the National Guard Bureau announced Jan. 23.
NGB said in a statement that it would provide more resources to assist U.S. Northern Command with the border mission.
The Guard is "increasing its support and closely coordinating emergent requirements with NORTHCOM and U.S. Transportation Command for additional personnel, military airlift, barrier construction and other capabilities to meet residential and defense secretary directives," NGB added.
"The National Guard currently has over 1,600 Guardsmen supporting the federal border security mission," said Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus, the chief of NGB. "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."
Trump signed the EO addressing "the military's role" in protecting the nation's "territorial integrity" Jan. 20.
The initial deployment of 1,600 active-component personnel brings the total Title 10 military forces along the border to nearly 4,000 personnel.
NORTHCOM announced Jan. 23 that it would send 1,500 active-duty personnel from the Army and Marine Corps to the border.
These personnel would join the approximately 2,500 service members already deployed supporting Customs and Border Protection’s border mission.
The exact number of personnel will change as units rotate personnel and additional forces are deployed, per NORTHCOM.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also announced Monday that he would deploy 400 more Guardsmen and C-130 aircraft and CH-47 Chinook helicopters to the border.
More than 4,100 Texas Guardsmen additionally remain on duty at the border, supporting ongoing Operation Lone Star efforts.
This state border mission was launched in March 2021 after Abbott issued a state disaster declaration. It is a joint operation between the Texas Military Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety to detect and repel illegal border crossings, arrest suspected human smugglers and cartel gang members and curb the flow of drugs into the country.
The increased military presence along the southern border comes after Trump declared illegal immigration there a national emergency Jan. 22.
"The Defense Department will support the defense of the territorial integrity of the United States of America at the southern border to include reservists, National Guard, and active duty in compliance with the Constitution, with the laws of our land, and the directives of the commander in chief," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday.
— By Donald Lambert
