{"id":12672,"date":"2020-04-01T20:19:19","date_gmt":"2020-04-01T20:19:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/04\/01\/540-additional-troops-to-deploy-to-us-mexico-border-over-covid-19-concerns\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T01:39:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T01:39:21","slug":"540-additional-troops-to-deploy-to-us-mexico-border-over-covid-19-concerns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/coronavirus\/2020\/04\/01\/540-additional-troops-to-deploy-to-us-mexico-border-over-covid-19-concerns\/","title":{"rendered":"540 additional troops to deploy to U.S.-Mexico border over COVID-19 concerns"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The U.S. military is deploying an additional 540 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to assist Border Patrol<\/a> agents handling migrants who may be COVID-19 positive, U.S. Northern Command announced Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are roughly 5,000 U.S. troops serving at the U.S.-Mexico border assisting the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the U.S. deploys troops, hospital ships and other military assets across the U.S. to combat the rapidly spreading COVID-19<\/a>, Gen. Terrance O\u2019Shaughnessy, the commander of U.S. NORTHCOM told reporters Wednesday that there was also an \u201cincreased demand signal\u201d for support to help secure the southern border over COVID-19 concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson, the commander of U.S. Army North, said that the additional 540 U.S. troops would help Border Patrol with newly granted authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those new authorities allow Border Patrol agents to apprehend and immediately return migrants potentially infected with COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Richardson said the increase in support to the border was specially related to COVID-19 concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\t