U.S.
GalleryMilitary troops provide deportation support and construction efforts at southern border
Stars and Stripes
January 26, 2025
U.S. Marines set up concertina wire near Imperial Beach, Calif., during a deployment to the southern border, Jan. 24, 2025. (Caleb Goodwin/U.S. Marine Corps)
Military troops arrived to the southern border over the last few days for a deployment to provide deportation support and construction efforts, ordered by President Donald Trump on Jan. 20.
The mission involves as many as 1,500 Marine and soldiers joining about 2,500 National Guard troops already working at the border to augment U.S. Customs and Border Protection. They will conduct deportation flights of migrants with military aircraft, and provide support for construction efforts to extend the wall that separates the U.S. and Mexico.
U.S. officials are planning to send thousands of additional troops to the border to assist in the detection and apprehension of migrants seeking to enter the United States illegally.
U.S. soldiers assigned to the 66th Military Police Company exit a C-17 Globemaster III after arriving at Fort Bliss, Texas, Jan. 25, 2025. (Elizabeth Schoubroek/Department of Defense)
A U.S. Air Force loadmaster, assigned to the 8th Airlift Squadron, directs a 627th Logistics Readiness Squadron Airman loading U.S. Army luggage and equipment onto a C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Jan. 25, 2025. (Elizabeth Schoubroek/Department of Defense)
U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 549th Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, prepare to depart for a mission along the Southern Border at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., Jan. 25, 2025. (Dustin Stark/Department of Defense)
U.S. Marines prepare the southern border wall near San Ysidro, Calif., Jan. 25, 2025. (Kyle Chan/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marines set up concertina wire near Imperial Beach, Calif., during a deployment to the southern border, Jan. 24, 2025. (Caleb Goodwin/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marines establish an operations center near Imperial Beach, Calif., during a deployment to the southern border, Jan. 24, 2025. (Caleb Goodwin/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, load concertina wire onto a 7-ton truck near San Ysidro, Calif., Jan. 23, 2025. (Logan Courtright/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, deploy concertina wire along the southern border near San Ysidro, Calif., Jan. 23, 2025. (Logan Courtright/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Army soldiers from the 984th Military Police Company, 759th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, prepare equipment at Fort Carson, Colo., Jan. 23, 2025, for a deployment to the southern border. (Samuel Brandon/Department of Defense)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents load illegal immigrants onto a C-17 Globemaster III at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2025. (Kimberly Nagle/Department of Defense)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents guide illegal immigrants onboard a C-17 Globemaster III at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2025. (Devlin Bishop/Department of Defense)