President Donald Trump announced more troops are being sent to the southern border Thursday morning, to thwart an “attempted Invasion of Illegals.”
He didn’t specify the number of troops that will soon begin their deployment, but the Pentagon announced on Sunday that 3,750 troops will deploy, as the president continues to put immigration front-and-center of his administration.
The total number of troops at the border will be around 4,300, according to the Defense Department.
The announcement comes as the House Armed Services Committee held a hearing on why active-duty troops are being used as opposed to National Guard or Reserve forces, where Under Secretary of Defense for Policy John Rood told lawmakers the government is keeping tabs on several caravans, one of which contains 12,000 people. Committee chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) last Thursday blasted the Pentagon for not bringing up the planned deployment earlier in the week.
“I am deeply troubled that the witnesses did not disclose the upcoming increase in guard, reserve, and active duty personnel, even though we asked them multiple times during a two-and-a-half-hour hearing what would happen next on the border," said Smith.
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"They never mentioned it, despite the fact that the Secretary of Defense was revealing an increase in personnel that same day. This was at best an error in judgment, and at worst flat-out dishonesty."
GOP lawmakers, however, say the deployment is only necessary because the Department of Homeland Security is not “adequately funded.”
Aviation, logistics and other support troops are assisting Homeland Security officials, such as Customs and Border Protection.
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Troops there had an initial deadline of Dec.15, but their deployment was extended to the end of January, at the request of the Department of Homeland Security. Officials have said some military presence will be along the border until September 2019.
The deployment will cost about $132 million, but that estimate is through the end of January; the figure will no doubt balloon with each month forces are there.
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