Kathmandu: U.S. military forces have taken on an increasingly central role in patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border, as part of an aggressive immigration strategy spearheaded by the Trump administration, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
Troop deployments along the border have tripled to 7,600 personnel, with every branch of the military engaged. The mission overseen from a new command center in southern Arizona, includes rapid response teams, drone surveillance, armored Stryker vehicles, and patrols in militarized zones authorized to apprehend and detain migrants.
Despite a 60-year low in illegal crossings, Army Maj. Gen. Scott Naumann says the military remains focused on preventing “got-aways” individuals who evade detection and disappear into the U.S. Interior. He emphasized the flexibility of military forces compared to civilian agencies, stating, “We can put them out for days at a time” to intercept smugglers and migrants in remote regions.
While the mission aims to curb illegal entry and cartel activity, critics say it pushes legal boundaries. Legal scholars told AP the designation of large swaths of borderland as military zones could sidestep the Posse Comitatus Act, raising constitutional concerns.
The presence of troops has also restricted public access to popular recreation areas, drawn protests from religious groups, and revived painful memories of past tragedies — including a 1997 case when U.S. Marines fatally shot an unarmed teen near the Texas border.
Still, soldiers like Army Sgt. Ana Harker-Molina, an immigrant-turned-citizen, say their presence serves a purpose. “Just sitting here watching the border is helping our country,” she told AP.
The operation, which has no set end date, integrates military personnel directly with U.S. Border Patrol agents. Former officials like ex-Border Patrol chief Michael Fisher described the expanded military role as a “force multiplier.”
While border crossings may rise again after summer, Naumann says the military intends to stay the course: “We’ve got to keep going after it, we’re having some successes.”
-AP