Defense Secretary Mark Esper has approved a one-year extension of Pentagon assistance to the Department of Homeland Security, authorizing the deployment of 4,000 U.S. military personnel at the U.S.–Mexico border.
The authorization comes after the DHS requested support in its mission to protect the border. The deployment will start in October and continue until the end of September 2021, with most of the force coming from the National Guard.
The National Guard personnel will operate under a Title 10 status, which authorizes them to carry out federal active-duty military service.
“The duties to be performed by military personnel include the same categories of support as those currently being carried out along the border, including detection and monitoring, logistics, and transportation support to U.S. Customs and Border Protection,” Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Chris Mitchell said in a statement.
“Military personnel will not directly participate in civilian law enforcement activities,” he added. “DoD and DHS constantly review the situation along the border, adjusting requirements as necessary to maintain the safety and security of the American people.”
“We’re on pace to complete 450 miles by the end of the year and 500 miles almost immediately thereafter,” Trump said on June 23.
Since taking office, Trump has demanded that Congress fund construction of a wall on the southern border, his landmark campaign promise.