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First, DoD will begin augmenting its forces at the southwest border with an additional ~1500 ground personnel, as well as helicopters with associated crews, and intelligence analysts to support increased detection and monitoring efforts.
Source: Pentagon, USNORTHCOM
Photo: Courtesy United State Northern Command
In a statement released January 22, 2025, acting Secretary of Defense, Robert Salesses announced the deployment of active military assets to the border, including El Paso. The channel of deployment would be through use of the already active United States Northern Command.
What is the “United States Northern Command”?
Known as USNORTHCOM, United States Northern Command plans, organizes and executes homeland defense and civil support missions, but has few permanently assigned forces. The command is assigned forces whenever necessary to execute missions, as ordered by the president or secretary of defense. Civil service employees and uniformed members representing all service branches work at USNORTHCOM’s headquarters located at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo.
U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is supporting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its operational component, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), by providing mission-enhancing capabilities to secure the border and stop the flow of human trafficking, illegal drugs, contraband, criminals, and illegal immigrants into the country. USNORTHCOM’s mission-enhancing support enables CBP to conduct their law enforcement mission more efficiently and to support DHS efforts to manage border security and immigration processes.
Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses Statement on DOD Actions Responding to President Trump’s Executive Order on Securing our Border
On Monday [January 20, 2025], to protect the security and safety of United States citizens, President Trump declared that a national emergency exists at the southern border of the United States. The President directed me to take all appropriate action to support the activities of the Secretary of Homeland Security in obtaining complete operational control of the southern border of the United States.
Yesterday, I convened a meeting with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the senior Policy leaders of the Department of Defense (DoD), the Commanders of U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (NGB), directing them to move out immediately in support of President Trump’s Executive Orders on protecting the territorial integrity and citizens of the United States.
At my direction, DoD established a Task Force to oversee expedited implementation of the Executive Orders. This includes employment of U.S. military forces to carry out directed missions called for by the President. Commander, USNORTHCOM is the operational lead for this effort, supported by USTRANSCOM, the Military Services, and the NGB working alongside the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
I approved three immediate actions that will begin today:
First, DoD will begin augmenting its forces at the southwest border with an additional ~1500 ground personnel, as well as helicopters with associated crews, and intelligence analysts to support increased detection and monitoring efforts. This represents a 60 percent increase in active-duty ground forces since President Trump was sworn in Monday.
Second, the Department will provide military airlift to support DHS deportation flights of more than five thousand illegal aliens from the San Diego, California, and El Paso, Texas sectors detained by Customs and Border Protection. DHS will provide inflight law enforcement, and the State Department will obtain the requisite diplomatic clearances and provide host-nation notification.
Third, the Department will begin assisting in the construction of temporary and permanent physical barriers to add additional security to curtail illegal border crossings and illicit trafficking.
This is just the beginning. In short order, the Department will develop and execute additional missions in cooperation with DHS, federal agencies, and state partners to address the full range of threats outlined by the President at our nation’s borders.
President Trump directed action from the Department of Defense on securing our nation’s borders and made clear he expects immediate results. That is exactly what our military is doing under his leadership.
