The U.S. Military’s Border Enforcement Role

By Christine Wormuth

Christine Wormuth is the director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. Wormuth has an extensive background in defense and national security, including service as under secretary of defense for policy (2014-2016); deputy under secretary of defense for strategy, plans and forces (2012-2014); special assistant to the president and senior director for defense at the National Security Council (2010-2012); and principal deputy assistant secretary for homeland defense (2009-2010).

The President reaffirmed during his November 7 post-election press conference that the deployment of thousands of U.S. active duty military personnel to the nation’s southwest border would continue apace. Pentagon officials report that the deployment could exceed 8,000, even in its current form.

At the same time, the Pentagon is no longer calling the US military activity a named mission, after initially branding it ‘Operation Faithful Patriot.’  Instead it will be called “border support,” reflecting that the action is in support of civilian agencies and not a military-led operation.  Secretary Mattis said the deployment was a substantive determination and that the military does not “do stunts.” 

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