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The administration of Donald Trump is sending additional military assets to the U.S.-Mexican border as part of its ongoing enforcement campaign – which has already produced dramatic reductions in apprehensions at this erstwhile open border.
Per an order from U.S. defense secretary Pete Hegseth, a Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) and General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB) have been deployed to the southern border “to reinforce and expand current border security operations to seal the border and protect the territorial integrity of the United States, a priority for the president.”
While the full complement of these two units would typically total more than 5,000 soldiers, reports indicate “elements” of the units totaling just under 3,000 troops will soon be en route to the border. Those elements include 2,400 soldiers from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado and another 500 soldiers from the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia.
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Strykers are light, mechanized armored platforms used in swift response scenarios. They provide mobility, versatility, protection and firepower. As for the combat aviation support, additional UH-60 Black Hawks and CH-47 Chinooks will be engaged to assist in
“These forces will arrive in the coming weeks, and their deployment underscores the department’s unwavering dedication to working alongside the Department of Homeland Security to secure our southern border and maintain the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of the United States under President Trump’s leadership,” a Pentagon spokesman noted.
These troops will supplement more than 9,200 American service members already working to secure the border – a total which includes an estimated 5,000 National Guard troops operating under the authority of America’s governors.
That’s a remarkable shift in policy as federal authorities actually engaged in legal action against states which sought to secure their own borders during the administration of former president Joe Biden.
Biden also halted construction of a border wall upon taking office, actively circumvented immigration law and endorsed mass amnesty for illegal aliens. Trump has reversed all of those policies – resulting in a massive decline in border encounters since he took office six weeks ago.
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In February, there were just 8,326 apprehensions at the U.S. Mexico border. That is lowest number in recorded history.
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) March 3, 2025
President @realDonaldTrump has delivered a powerful message and the world is taking notice: America’s borders are CLOSED to lawbreakers. pic.twitter.com/SGf99Xe3VK
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“Under president Donald Trump, the days of open borders are over,” U.S. Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem said last week, citing a 15-year low in single day border apprehensions.
This week, Noem announced a new record low in monthly border apprehensions, noting “America’s borders are CLOSED to lawbreakers.”
“The Invasion of our country is OVER,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “In comparison, under Joe Biden, there were 300,000 Illegals crossing in one month, and virtually ALL of them were released into our country. Thanks to the Trump Administration policies, the border is CLOSED to all illegal immigrants.”
“Anyone who tries to illegally enter the U.S.A. will face significant criminal penalties and immediate deportation,” Trump added.
FITSNews has covered the immigration issue extensively over the years – including paying a visit to the Yuma sector of the border during the peak of the crisis under Biden. Count on us to continue covering this issue as Trump escalates enforcement.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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4 comments
Seems like overkill (and a waste of money) to send tanks to the border to arrest people on foot. But I guess since they can’t get their mass deportation going, they need to do something flashy?
Those aren’t tanks, they’re Stryker Armored Fighting Vehicles. They’re equipped with something called the CROWS or RWS (Common Remote Operated Weapons System / Remote (controlled) Weapons Station) that gives them the ability to see long range, day or night, stationary or on the move and they are “bullet proof” to just about anything a “coyote” (border smuggler) might have in his arsenal. They are uniquely able to safely and effectively execute the border mission.
In the late 80s I was there doing something similar with our FASVs (think camouflage dune buggy). We had TOW weapon systems day and night sights but had to stop the vehicle to use them. While we were moderately effective, the Stryker is the perfect platform for this mission.
If the border has been “closed” now, why do we need troops and these vehicles that look like combat weapons. Just doesn’t make sense.
This really isn’t a difficult concept, to keep a border under control, you must patrol it. As for why the combat vehicles, why not, they’re safe, don’t get stuck, have excellent area denial tools and the soldiers are intimately familiar with them.