The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has declared a state of emergency at the border with Mexico, leading to the deployment of thousands of soldiers in the area. About 2,200 members of the Northern Joint Task Force have arrived as part of this action. These military personnel are participating in the U.S. Northern Command's border mission based in El Paso, Texas, performing logistical and bureaucratic tasks, including data entry, detection, and monitoring.
Additionally, a contingent is involved in Operation Lonestar, led by the Texas National Guard, with approximately 4,500 members assigned to the mission. The troops deployed in the coming days will assist Border Patrol operations and intelligence specialists will be sent to assess potential threats amid migration flows.
Although it has not been specified whether the soldiers are armed, it has been reported that they do not have authorization to perform police functions such as detaining migrants or seizing drugs. Regarding their interaction with migrants, it has been mentioned that they would be transported to various stations around border crossings.
Donald Trump issued an executive order to declare a national emergency, authorizing the use of military forces at the border with Mexico to secure it and repel any form of invasion, including migration to the U.S. and drug trafficking.
On the other hand, the U.S. Department of Justice has issued a memorandum instructing the investigation and prosecution of local officials who do not comply with the Trump administration's orders on migration. It is prohibited for state and local authorities to resist or obstruct these orders in any way.
The memorandum targets 'sanctuary cities,' those urban areas that do not cooperate on immigration issues with the U.S. Government. Justice Department officials are urged to take legal action against these sanctuary laws. Trump has focused on immigration and border security as pillars of his second term, with the threat of large-scale raids and mass deportations.
