The Pentagon announced Monday that 320 more troops will be sent to the U.S.-Mexico border, following a request from the Department of Homeland Security for help responding to the “humanitarian crisis at the border.”
“Approximately 320 DoDO personnel will be required to support the DHS request for assistance through September 30, 2019, at an estimated cost of $7.4 M,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
The troops will assist driving Customs and Border Protection vehicles to carry migrants. They will conduct administration support, including providing meals and “monitoring the welfare” of those in Customs and Border Protection custody. Attorney support to Immigration and Customs Enforcement will also be provided.
The Pentagon said the personnel will not conduct law enforcement during their deployment.
There are nearly 3,000 U.S. troops at the border already, along with approximately 2,000 National Guardsmen.
The decision was approved by acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan and relaxes certain rules that prevents troops from interacting with migrants. The former Boeing executive was cleared by the Pentagon’s inspector general last week, after Shanahan was accused of showing favoritism toward Boeing.
Trump, who has made securing the border a top priority, is expected to announce Shanahan, 56, as his nominee to be permanent defense secretary in the coming days.
