US Defence Secretary Hegseth to visit border with Mexico on first trip
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s first trip since taking office will be to the US’ border with Mexico on Feb 3.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
WASHINGTON - US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s first trip since taking office will be to the border with Mexico on Feb 3, in the latest sign that fortifying it will be a priority for the Pentagon under President Donald Trump.
Mr Trump has increasingly turned to the military to help carry out his immigration agenda, including sending additional troops to the border, using military aircraft to fly migrants out of the US, and opening up military bases to help house them.
“Potus wants 100 per cent operational control of the border – and we will deliver,” Mr Hegseth said on Feb 2 on social media platform X, referring to Mr Trump, as he announced the trip to visit troops on the border.
Mr Trump declared a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act on Feb 1, citing the “extraordinary threat” from fentanyl and illegal immigration, and imposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada, as well as an extra duty on Chinese goods
Trump last week said he was expanding a detention facility
His White House border czar, Mr Tom Homan, has said he hopes to start moving migrants there within 30 days.
Additional US Marines arrived at Guantanamo Bay in recent days to prepare to expand a facility that holds migrants.
The Pentagon has also started providing flights for the deportations of more than 5,000 immigrants held by the US authorities in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California.
Two US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that US military aircraft flew detained migrants to Honduras and Peru over the weekend.
The military flights are a costly way to fly migrants
That is more than five times the US$853 cost of a one-way first-class ticket on American Airlines from El Paso, Texas, the departure point for the flight. REUTERS
