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The Pentagon's decision not to disclose the magnitude of this increase during a hearing before the Armed Forces Commission was criticized by its chairman, Democratic Representative Adam Smith of Washington.
"Members of the Commission We are extremely interested in discussing what the 3,500 soldiers who will be going to the border will do in response to DHS 'latest request," Smith wrote in a letter to the Secretary of State. Acting Defense, Pat Shanahan.
A defense official confirmed the number of troops will be about 3,500.
"It's a violation of the executive's obligation to be transparent with the Congress, which oversees, authorizes and finances its operations, "added Smith.
Additional forces will allow the Department of Defense to respond to a request for assistance from the Department of Homeland Security that Shanahan had approved earlier this month.
"More and more troops are being sent to the southern border to put an end to the attempt to smuggle illegals into our country by caravans. stop them too, "wrote Trump.
The combined active duty force at the border should be slightly less than the maximum number of 5,900 men in the mission.
The Pentagon had previously stated that new troops would be involved in "mobile surveillance and detection, as well as in the establishment of accordion wires between entry points".
The Department of Homeland Security "follows" three caravans en route to the United States, one of which is more than 12,000 people in the latest estimate, "said Tuesday's Under-Secretary of Defense. State Defense, John Rood, Military Security Committee
Defense officials told CNN that the new mobile surveillance would include troops loaded with mobile observation posts and vehicles. radioed customs and border protection personnel to intercept any illegal activity detected.
United States Customs and Border Protection "Requested the Establishment of 150 Additional Miles of Wire Concertina no later than March 31. "Rood and Vice-Admiral Michael Gilday's Director of Operations wrote Tuesday in a joint statement to the Armed Forces Committee of the House
at the end of November, The military had already placed more than 10 miles of metal obstacles in Texas, Arizona and California. 19659002] This effort is distinct from the White House's effort to potentially utilize existing Pentagon funds and personnel to assist in the construction of new sections of a border wall.
US troops will also continue to provide air support to the Customs and Border Protection Service. has always involved US military aircraft carrying CBP personnel to sites along the border.
The approximately 2,300 active-duty soldiers currently deployed at the border were originally expected to return home on December 15, but their deployment was extended until the end of January at the request of DHS. Authorities say that many, but probably not all of these troops, will now remain before September
The cost of this deployment was estimated at about 132 million dollars, but this estimate is based on an initial closing date, January 31st.
Trump had previously ordered the deployment of National Guard forces to help secure the border. About 2,200 National Guards were assigned to this mission. This deployment, which should also end in September, is expected to cost $ 550 million.
The Pentagon declined to say where the money would go to fund the deployments.
Deployment of troops on active duty at the border Legislators have questioned security.
"Deployments at the border seem to defeat the Department of Defense's declared efforts to restore readiness," said the Armed Services Committee Representative of the House of Representatives of the United States. House of Representatives of Defense (1965). [19659002] "This deployment to the southern border seems to aggravate this problem by further disrupting the training cycles of units," he added.
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