Why 200 US troops, tactical vehicles deployed to Big Bend National Park in Texas

The United States military has deployed approximately 200 troops and armored vehicles to Big Bend National Park in West Texas due to concerns over border security.

This action aligns with President Donald Trump's priorities during his first 100 days in office, which have largely focused on immigration policy and dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. As part of these efforts, the administration has intensified scrutiny of undocumented immigrants.

Why are troops being deployed to Big Bend National Park?

Following similar efforts to tighten border security and crack down on undocumented immigrants, approximately 200 troops from the Army’s 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colo. — a trained combat unit — are already stationed in and around Big Bend, with that number expected to rise to about 500 in the coming weeks, according to Army officials.

Since assuming office in January, the Trump administration has also increased the number of troops along the U.S.-Mexico border. Currently, around 9,600 troops are either deployed or scheduled for deployment to the area.

At a March news conference in Alpine, Army and border officials emphasized that the troops will not arrest individuals suspected of entering the country illegally, as reported by Marfa Public Radio. Instead, soldiers will assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection with surveillance and intelligence gathering, according to an announcement from the Department of Defense this week.

Troops will patrol both on foot and in armored Stryker vehicles. Weighing 19 tons, these vehicles are designed to navigate rugged terrain. While Army officials did not disclose the exact number of Strykers being deployed, they confirmed that the vehicles could be equipped with weapons if necessary.

“If the mission dictates for security purposes that we put our weapons systems on those Strykers, then they will be put on the Strykers,” Maj. Jared Stefani, who is leading the Big Bend area Army battalion, told reporters.

A Stryker is an eight-wheeled vehicle that can carry up to 11 people, according to the U.S. Army. However, the exact number of Strykers being deployed has not been disclosed.

These increased military efforts come despite a significant drop in illegal border crossings.

Ongoing deportation efforts across the country

In recent weeks, multiple legal U.S. residents have been detained or deported based on information found on their cellphones or social media, with authorities accusing several individuals of supporting terrorism or being Hamas sympathizers in the Israel-Hamas conflict over Gaza.

For instance, Lebanese physician and Brown University assistant professor Rasha Alawieh was flagged by Customs and Border Protection at Boston Logan International Airport upon returning from a family visit. Officers discovered photos and videos on her cellphone linked to Hezbollah, leading to the cancellation of her visa and her deportation to Lebanon.

Another woman, who was preparing to graduate with a doctorate from Columbia University, self-deported to Canada when ICE agents arrived at her apartment searching for her. She maintains that she is not a Hamas sympathizer and was not even on Columbia's campus when sit-ins and protests took place last year, yet she remains unsure of why authorities claimed that information. Her attorney noted that officials were so unaware that he had to inform them himself that she had already left the country.