SpaceWar.com - Your World At War
Pentagon chief to Mexico border as Trump cracks down on migration
Washington, Feb 3 (AFP) Feb 03, 2025
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived in Texas Monday to visit the southern border as President Donald Trump works to implement a hard-right agenda that includes boosting the US military presence to keep out illegal immigrants.

In his first trip as Pentagon chief, Hegseth will survey operations and meet with US troops, which have been surged to the region under Trump.

"Looking forward to meeting our great warriors and seeing the hard work they are doing securing our southern border. We will continue to deliver on this vital mission," Hegseth wrote on X in a post announcing his arrival.

Trump ordered 1,500 additional military personnel to the border just days after taking office, and his administration has carried out highly publicized immigration raids and arrests. Some migrants have additionally been deported using military aircraft.

Border security is a key priority for the president, who declared a national emergency at the US frontier with Mexico on his first day in office.

The additional personnel have increased the total number of active-duty troops deployed there to around 4,000.

Ahead of his border visit, Hegseth posted on X that Trump "wants 100% operational control of the border -- and we will deliver."

"BORDER SECURITY IS NATIONAL SECURITY," Hegseth wrote.


ADVERTISEMENT




Space News from SpaceDaily.com
Eris rocket debut signals new chapter for Australia's launch ambitions
Slingshot unveils TALOS AI to simulate and support strategic space operations
SpaceX scrubs static fire test of Falcon 9 due to issue

24/7 Energy News Coverage
US says Trump has 'final call' on China trade truce
The complex relationship between fusion fuel and lithium walls
Russia wants to mine Niger's uranium, energy minister says

Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
Boeing X37B Spaceplane Prepares for Eighth Orbital Test Mission
BlackSky secures next stage of Navy contract for optical satellite link upgrades
Israel military intercepts Huthi missile fired from Yemen; Gaza civil defence says Israel strikes kill 30

24/7 News Coverage
US, India to launch powerful Earth-monitoring satellite
Cosmic dust particles reveal snapshot of Earth's ancient air
'Food on table' outweighs health risks for Philippine e-waste dismantlers



All rights reserved. Copyright Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.