The U.S.-Mexico border wall. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

By KELIN DILLON

Just days after U.S. President Donald Trump declared an emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, the newly inaugurated federal executive announced the deployment of thousands of federal troops to the area in order to combat illegal immigration in the United States on Wednesday, Jan. 22. 

A reported 1,500 troops will be joining the 2,200 active-duty personnel currently stationed in U.S. Northern Command’s El Paso base as part of Joint Task Force-North, aiding Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with early detection, logistics and surveillance.

Likewise, another 4,500 troops from the Texas National Guard are currently on border duty as part of Operation Lonestar, said the Texas Military Department.

Though it has yet to be publicly revealed if these military agents will be carrying weapons, the personnel will reportedly be authorized to detain migrants, conduct searches and seize drugs.

As part of the upped border security efforts, the U.S. Department of Justice issued an order instructing an investigation into any officials who impede or fail to comply with Trump’s orders.

“Federal law prohibits state and local authorities from resisting, obstructing, or otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related orders and requests,” read the order.

“The offices of the federal prosecutors and the legal divisions of the Department of Justice will investigate these instances of misconduct to determine whether they warrant possible criminal prosecution,” continued the U.S. Department of Justice.

For her part, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced during her daily morning press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 22, that Mexico and the new United States government have already begun a dialogue on major bilateral issues between the two nations.

“A process of talks between both governments has begun,” said Sheinbaum, highlighting that migration and border security were discussed on a call between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs Juan Ramón de la Fuente Ramírez.