DENVER – Units from two Colorado military installations will be among the U.S. troops deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border on the request of President Trump and the Department of Homeland Security as a group of migrants remains hundreds of miles away from the border.
The Department of Defense and U.S. Northern Command announced Wednesday that units from Fort Carson and Peterson Air Force base would be among those sent to the border in support of Customs and Border Protection and Operation Faithful Patriot.
President Trump on Wednesday claimed that up to 15,000 military personnel would deploy to the border for the operation. The Pentagon announced earlier this week that 5,200 troops would deploy in addition to the 2,100 National Guardsmen already there.
The news release from U.S. Northern Command said that the number of troops would change daily but estimated more than 7,000 would be spread out at any given time across California, Arizona and Texas.
The units from Fort Carson that will deploy are the Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division; and the Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. Peterson Air Force Base’s Joint Enabling Capability Team and Aviation Planner from the U.S. Northern Command, which is based at Peterson, were also tapped to deploy.
Many of the migrants from Central American countries are still more than 800 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, and it is expected to take the caravan weeks before it reaches the border, where many of the migrants are expected to apply for asylum.
Despite the president calling immigration a “really dangerous topic” and saying that some caravan members were “very bad thugs and gang members,” among other conspiracies, he told reporters Wednesday: “I’m not fear mongering at all.”
"This request for assistance will enhance CBP's ability to impede or deny illegal crossings and maintain situational awareness as it contributes to CBP's overall border security mission," the release from U.S. Northern Command said.