Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has re-authorized up to 4,000 National Guard troops to remain at the southern U.S. border until the fall of next year, the Pentagon said Friday.
Mattis’ original authorization and funding for the border force issued in April was set to expire on Sept. 30 when the fiscal year ends. The move means the force of 2,000 troops now deployed can remain and could grow.
President Trump called for the deployment of National Guard troops to aid border agents with what he called a “crisis” of immigrants crossing into the U.S. illegally. Both the Bush and Obama administrations also sent Guardsmen to the southern border.
The authorization this week allows as many as 4,000 troops, the same number as previously allowed, to remain through Sept. 30, 2019, Lt.Col. Jamie Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said.
However, the Pentagon has sent only about half that number to the Mexico border since April.
No final cost has been calculated for the deployment this fiscal year, but the Pentagon estimated earlier it will be $182 million. The funding needed for next year will depend on how many Guard personnel are sent and how long they end up staying.
The troops are allowed to assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection as it polices illegal border crossings and drug trafficking, but they cannot participate directly in law enforcement.
