On his first trip since taking office, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will visit the Mexico border on Monday (February 3). This move signals the Pentagon’s continued focus on border security under President Donald Trump’s administration, according to a report by British news agency Reuters.
Trump has increasingly relied on the military to enforce his immigration policies. This includes deploying additional troops, using military aircraft to deport migrants, and repurposing military bases as temporary housing for them.
In a post on social media platform X on Sunday, Hegseth stated, “The president wants 100% border control, and we will ensure it.”
Last week, Trump announced plans to expand a detention facility at the Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba, which will hold up to 30,000 migrants. His border policy advisor, Tom Homan, stated, “We expect to start sending migrants there within 30 days.”
Recently, additional US Marines have arrived at Guantanamo Bay as preparations are underway to expand facilities designated for migrants.
Additionally, the Pentagon is providing military aircraft to deport over 5,000 detained migrants from El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California.
Two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that at the end of last week, detained migrants were deported to Honduras and Peru via military aircraft.
However, these military flights are extremely costly for deporting migrants. According to Reuters, a military aircraft sent to Guatemala last week cost approximately $4,675 per migrant.
This expense is five times higher than a one-way first-class ticket from El Paso to Guatemala on American Airlines.