A Strong Presence at the Border During Secretary of Defense’s Rare Visit
SUNLAND PARK, New Mexico – Pete Hegseth’s motorcade kicked up dust as it arrived, greeted by numerous soldiers and border agents stationed in the desert to welcome the new Secretary of Defense.
This marked his inaugural visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, with a prominent 30-foot steel barrier rising behind him as he greeted service members and agents. This event was emblematic of the Trump administration’s show of strength and an opportunity to highlight the collaboration between active-duty personnel and Border Patrol.
“We have defended territories elsewhere, and we will protect this border,” stated Hegseth, an Army veteran, while pointing at the border fence in the background. He was accompanied by newly appointed Border Czar Tom Homan, who has decades of experience in U.S. immigration enforcement.
One of President Donald Trump’s early actions was to declare a national border emergency, mobilizing military support for the Department of Homeland Security to ensure the border’s security. In this effort, he deployed over 1,500 active-duty soldiers and Marines in addition to the 2,500 troops already present.
Further, he instructed the Defense and Homeland Security secretaries to prepare a joint report assessing the situation at the southern border and to recommend whether to invoke the Insurrection Act.
The Insurrection Act allows the president to employ military resources for civilian law enforcement, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. If enacted, this law would empower soldiers to make arrests of migrants—an action currently prohibited.
“What they do is assist the Border Patrol,” Hegseth explained. “They provide surveillance for Border Patrol, who then executes the apprehensions.”
The gathering of combat troops, operating under limited capacities according to current regulations, occurs at a time when illegal crossings are at record lows.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, there were around 1,000 migrant encounters daily across the border in early January at the close of Biden’s administration—a significant drop of about 75% compared to the previous year.
Sunland Park, located just east of expansive El Paso, Texas, used to be the most active area for Border Patrol’s El Paso Sector. This sector covers West Texas and the entirety of New Mexico.
However, following former President Biden’s emphasis on stricter border policies and Trump’s initial troop deployments, illegal migration has drastically declined. Migrant encounters, which were once between 2,200 to 2,700 daily two years ago, have now plummeted to below 150 per day in the El Paso Sector, as noted by a spokesperson.
On the elevated desert plateau overlooking the U.S.-Mexico border, soldiers demonstrated to Hegseth a “sand table” mapping the local terrain with makeshift markers such as stones, bottles, and a plastic fork. While local Border Patrol agents know the area intimately, many of the soldiers present are not familiar with the terrain. Beneath the mesa, a freight train sounded its horn.
Over the years, active-duty service members have contributed to constructing barriers, surveying the border, and providing transport, under both Republican and Democratic administrations.
Despite the ongoing deployment of active-duty personnel to the border by both parties, including the Biden administration, visits from Defense secretaries are rare. Notably, in 2018, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis visited troops at the border while Trump was contemplating another troop increase.
On January 28, the Pentagon instructed officials from the 10th Mountain Division, one of the Army’s rapid-response units, to prepare for operations along the border.
“I have never witnessed this level of military involvement at the border for support,” Homan commented to reporters on Monday.
Some Democratic critics of the troop deployment, such as Senator Elissa Slotkin, D-Michigan, who serves on the Armed Services Committee, voiced concerns during a recent hearing, mentioning that active-duty troops lack the necessary training for law enforcement tasks.
“They aren’t adequately trained,” Slotkin emphasized. “An incident is bound to happen; someone could get hurt.”
The buildup of military forces along the 2,000-mile border arrives at a complicated time in U.S.-Mexico relations. Earlier that Monday, a last-minute agreement between Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and Trump resulted in a one-month delay on tariffs. Trump had previously announced a 25% tariff on Mexican goods scheduled to take effect the next day.
Sheinbaum Pardo committed to dispatching 10,000 of her National Guard troops to its northern border, while Trump agreed to address the flow of weapons from the U.S. to criminal organizations in Mexico.
However, Hegseth – who does not have the power to order troops into Mexico – did not dismiss the possibility of the Trump administration utilizing military forces within Mexican territory.
When asked if there are any plans for troops stationed at the border to enter Mexico, Hegseth replied, “all options remain open.”
“But it would be unwise to predict any actions right now,” he told reporters. “Our goal is to establish a defense and prevent illegal immigration into our nation.”
contributed by Lauren Villagran
