“Border security is national security,” General Terrence O’Shaughnessy, the commander of U.S. Northern Command, said Monday, “we’re going to secure the border.”
Monday’s press conference was held following the announcement that as many as 5,000 military troops will be sent to the southern border for support as thousands of migrants from Central America stream towards the US border with Mexico.
O’Shaughnessy also told reporters that at least some of the units taking part in Operation Faithful Patriot will be armed.
“We have the authority given us by Secretary (of Defense, James) Mattis, the units that are normally assigned weapons, they are in fact deploying with weapons.”
Active duty forces are set to be deployed to Texas, Arizona and California to assist Customs and Border Protection.