The U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) announced on Monday that more than 600 soldiers and airmen will be deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border as part of the military’s continuing efforts to curb illegal immigration.

This deployment, which includes engineers and intelligence analysts, is the latest measure in the ongoing mission to support border security operations.

According to a NORTHCOM press release, the deployment will consist of approximately 590 engineers from the Army’s 18th Airborne Corps.

These troops will be drawn from multiple units, including the 20th Engineer Brigade based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; the 19th Engineer Battalion and the 15th Engineer Company from Fort Knox, Kentucky; and the 687th Engineer Company stationed at Fort Johnson, Louisiana.

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Additionally, about 40 Air Force intelligence analysts, comprising both active-duty and reserve component personnel, will provide crucial support to the Joint Intelligence Task Force – Southern Border.

These analysts will contribute to surveillance and intelligence operations aimed at enhancing border security.

While officials are still finalizing the timeline for troop movements, their arrival will bring the total number of service members deployed or scheduled to deploy to the southern border to approximately 9,600.

National Emergency Declaration and Military Support

The latest deployment comes in the wake of President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency on the southern border on January 20. In his executive order, Trump emphasized the importance of border security, stating, “As Commander in Chief, I have no more solemn duty than to protect the American people.”

Following the emergency declaration, the Department of War quickly mobilized personnel to assist the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

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Two days after the declaration, the Pentagon confirmed the deployment of 1,000 soldiers and 500 Marines to the region as part of the initial wave of military reinforcements.

Since then, additional forces have been assigned to the mission, including roughly 2,400 troops from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson, Colorado, as well as 500 soldiers from the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia.

According to a defense official, active-duty personnel operating under Joint Task Force North have been tasked with “supporting enhanced detection and monitoring efforts” while also assisting in the repair and replacement of physical barriers along the southern border.

Potential Use of the Skyraider II for Border Missions

Amid these ongoing security efforts, the Air Force has been evaluating potential new assets for border surveillance and enforcement.

A recent statement from Brig. Gen. Craig Prather, director of strategic plans for Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), hinted at the possible deployment of the service’s newest aircraft, the OA-1K Skyraider II, for border operations.

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“Providing scalable and precision effects is where the Skyraider II will come in,” Prather stated in a Feb. 27 news release. “The Skyraider II could take on missions from the southwest border to Africa and create dilemmas to those we are in competition with.”

The single-engine turboprop aircraft is specifically designed for advanced armed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, as well as precision airstrikes.

If deployed, it could provide an additional layer of aerial surveillance and security along the border.

As military presence at the southern border continues to grow, the deployment of these troops and resources underscores the U.S. government’s commitment to bolstering border security through both personnel and advanced technology.

The evolving situation will likely continue to shape defense strategies in the coming months.

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