The United States deployed 125 soldiers from the Nevada National Guard to its border with Mexico to support operations of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as part of the border surveillance military initiative promoted by the Donald Trump administration.
The personnel belong to the 1859 Light and Medium Transportation Company of the Nevada National Guard, which is making its first mobilization in the ten years since its establishment.
According to an official statement from the U.S. Army released on Wednesday, October 21, the military will be responsible for ground operations, security support, and reconnaissance efforts to assist federal agencies in monitoring the southern border.
The soldiers departed on Tuesday, October 20, from Reno-Tahoe International Airport, after participating two days earlier in a farewell ceremony held at the Army aviation support facilities in Stead, Nevada.
Family members, friends, and high-ranking military officials attended the ceremony to bid farewell to the members of the unit before their new mission.
"Soldiers, I am proud of you. Your families are proud of you. The great state of Nevada is proud of you. And our nation relies on you," stated Brigadier General Randy Lau, commander of the Nevada National Guard's Army component.
Captain Alecia Chandler, in charge of the company, also highlighted the training of her personnel and expressed her confidence that they would be able to fulfill the assigned tasks.
A transportation unit that will now support border surveillance
The Company 1859 was established in 2016 and has primarily focused on transportation, logistics, and support missions for other military units.
Its members had also been mobilized to assist with evacuations and security tasks during fires and floods in northern Nevada.
The mission is part of the activities of the Joint Task Force-Southern Border (JTF-SB), which operates under the direction of the United States Northern Command in support of federal authorities.
The statement does not specify which border sector the 125 troops from Nevada will operate in or how long they will be deployed.
It also does not state that these agents will directly carry out arrests or deportations of immigrants, tasks that fall under the jurisdiction of the appropriate federal agencies.
The United States maintains military reinforcement at the border
The new mobilization adds to other military operations carried out during October along the U.S.-Mexico border.
On October 3rd, North Command announced the deployment of hundreds of troops to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The network NewsNation estimated the contingent at approximately 500 soldiers.
In that episode, personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard were shot at from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande while conducting surveillance operations. No injuries were reported among the American agents.
The reinforcement was announced under Operation Unified Resolve, which is part of the broader military strategy known as Ardent Vanguard.
This last one includes the deployment of troops, surveillance assets, and military capabilities to support the authorities responsible for border security.
The Joint Task Force-Southern Border was established in March 2025 and coordinates the involvement of military units in support of DHS and CBP.
The deployment of soldiers from Nevada increases the participation of state units in this mission, although authorities have not clarified whether the newly sent troops will replace other military personnel or will be added as a permanent additional reinforcement.
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