Military troops arrive in El Paso
EL PASO, TX (KVIA) – Military personnel has arrived in El Paso to assist with border operations, marking a 60% increase in troops along the southern border since Monday.
The Department of Defense confirmed the deployment of 1,500 troops, including 1,000 Army soldiers and 500 Marines, to El Paso and San Diego.
The U.S. Northern Command said in a statement, “these military forces will support enhanced detection and monitoring efforts and repair and emplace physical barriers.” The Department of Defense emphasized that these troops will not be involved in law enforcement or migrant detentions.
During a news conference Tuesday, Bishop Mark Seitz of the Catholic Diocese of El Paso said the deployment is unnecessary and expressed concerns about the military’s lack of training in asylum law. “None of us think that people who are going to do harm in our country should be given carte blanche to enter our country,” Seitz said. “But, on the other hand, to characterize it as a whole group of people, families, mothers, fathers, children, as though they are somehow an imminent threat to our country is completely wrong.“
El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego said the community is prepared to handle the situation, emphasizing “this is not our first rodeo.”
“People don't realize that the impact is bigger than just what we're talking about, the impact is on the economy,” Samaniego said. “The impact is on somebody wanting to come here and hearing that there's, you know, 100, 115 troops here from the National Guard in our community. They're not going to want to come to El Paso.”
More troops are set to arrive soon. An internal memo obtained by ABC News revealed that the Department of Homeland Security could request up to 10,000 troops to assist with border operations. Defense officials have not confirmed that number.