Pentagon extending mission of troops at southern border

The Pentagon is updating and extending the mission of troops stationed the southern border, shifting from a mandate to “harden” ports of entry to surveilling the border and laying down wire, according to The Associated Press.

“[The Department of Defense] is transitioning its support at the southwestern border from hardening ports of entry to mobile surveillance and detection, as well as concertina wire emplacement between ports of entry,” the Pentagon said in a statement, according to the AP.

{mosads}The troops will reportedly operate security cameras, lay down wire and fly aircraft in order to support Customs and Border Protection. 

The Department of Homeland Security earlier this month requested an additional deployment of U.S. troops to the border to install concertina wire atop existing border fencing, which is likely to add months to the military’s deployment.

Pentagon officials told the AP they are unsure how many additional troops they will request.

U.S. troops will likely be deployed at the border until September, officials told the AP. 

The 2,350 active-duty troops at the border were deployed at the beginning of November for a mission that was originally supposed to end on Dec. 15. It was extended until Jan. 31, and the latest expansion will mean the troops will remain there until the fall, according to the AP.

Trump before the midterm elections in 2018 stoked fears over an approaching group of Central American migrants heading toward the southern border, which he referred to as an “invasion.” He requested the deployment of thousands of troops to the border in a support mission just before Nov. 6.  

Some lawmakers have accused Trump of wasting resources and manpower on the mission, as reports emerged that the troops felt restless and underutilized.