WASHINGTON – The White House announced on Wednesday that the Pentagon will be sending up to 1,500 more active duty troops to the southern border of the United States. This action follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump shortly after he took office.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, mentioned that this troop deployment is part of Trump’s commitment to tightening border security. This decision follows several border-related executive orders issued by Trump since his inauguration, including the declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border.

A high-ranking defense official, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity, stated that the troops have already started their deployment and should be operational within the next 24 to 48 hours.

Of the 1,500 troops, 1,000 will be from the Army and 500 from the Marine Corps. The Marines, initially assigned to tackle wildfires in California, will now be redirected to the border, according to the official.

These troops will help set up physical barriers, enhance situational awareness and intelligence, and collaborate with Customs and Border Protection on logistics and planning, as explained by the official. Additionally, four military aircraft – two C-17 and two C-130 planes – will be stationed in San Diego and El Paso for deportations and personnel transport.

The troops will not engage in law enforcement activities. Whether they will be armed is a decision that will rest with the commander of U.S. Northern Command, according to the official.

The senior defense official remarked that the troop numbers could potentially increase by thousands more, as the White House has not yet relayed a specific figure to the Defense Department.

Currently, around 2,500 members of the National Guard and Army Reserve are already deployed at the border to assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection with logistical and support tasks, as per a Pentagon spokesperson who spoke to YSL News. The incoming troops will augment these ongoing operations, according to a defense official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Active duty troops were previously ordered to the border by the administration of former President Joe Biden, and this was also done by Trump during his first term.

Active duty troops are restricted to support roles and cannot assist in arrests unless the administration invokes the Insurrection Act, as has been the policy in the past.

(This story has been updated to include new information.)