On Friday, the Pentagon reportedly prepared about 5,000 personnel from prominent combat units for deployment to the southwestern U.S., acting to execute President Trump’s directive to intensify the military presence at the border.
Armed infantry and support personnel from the 82nd Airborne Division and the 10th Mountain Division—two of the Army’s most seasoned combat units—could arrive at the border within days, according to one defense official, following Trump’s January 20 declaration that termed the influx of migrants, drug cartels, and smugglers a “invasion” warranting a military response.
A military official stated that the Army mobilized the personnel preemptively to assure readiness in anticipation of a potential White House directive to deploy additional active duty troops to the border.
The deployment of substantial front-line combat personnel would indicate that Trump is diverging from the recent precedent set by former presidents, who primarily restricted troop presence at the U.S.-Mexico border to reservists and a limited contingent of active-duty soldiers.
The forces would share the same objective of assisting law enforcement authorities as the National Guard personnel already stationed at the border, according to officials.
Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank, stated that deploying such forces for the border duty could pose risks for the Army.
A brigade of the 82nd Airborne remains on continuous alert, prepared to deploy during a national security crisis, typically outside the United States.
Officials stated that the deployment may rapidly escalate to over 7,000 active duty troops at the border, supplementing the 2,500 Army reservists and National Guard personnel already present.
A preparation paper from the administration said that up to 10,000 troops may eventually be sent.
In addition to infantry, officials stated that support troops specializing in supplies, logistics, security, and communications are being deployed to the border.
They were selected partly due to their readiness for rapid deployment, unlike other units that may require weeks to prepare for mobilization.
The 82nd Airborne has been deployed domestically in the past for natural catastrophes and during civil unrest, however they are primarily sent to war zones.
The 82nd participated in the evacuation of Kabul in 2021 and conducted rotations in Iraq and Afghanistan alongside the 10th Mountain during the U.S.-led conflicts in those regions.
Trump has proclaimed the border crisis a national emergency and has committed to deploying an adequate number of U.S. troops to ensure its security.
The Senate is anticipated to vote on Friday evening about Trump’s candidate for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, who may announce deployments in the forthcoming days if confirmed.
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