Operation Faithful Patriot

Border support operations, formerly known as Operation Faithful Patriot, are currently being conducted as a domestic deployment and civil contingency operation of the United States Armed Forces at the Mexico–United States border intended to block an anticipated border crossing of thousands of migrants from Central America.

Background
In early October 2018, several thousands of people left El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras on an overland journey north in three separate groups colloquially referred to as "caravans". According to some in the caravans, their intention is to cross through Mexico and later into the United States. In response to the northward migration, and according to Newsweek, President Donald Trump has "vowed to take a hard-line stance against undocumented immigration".

Operations
In April 2018, President Donald Trump ordered Operation Guardian Support, consisting of National Guard forces voluntarily contributed by states, to assist the United States Border Patrol in ongoing border security efforts.

In October 2018, what was then known as Operation Faithful Patriot was initiated to provide U.S. military assistance to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the southwest United States in confronting the approaching caravans. Trump ordered the operation on October 26, 2018; United States Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis signed the deployment authorization later that day.

According to General Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy of the United States Northern Command, the operation involves the deployment of federal troops "to harden the southern border" and augment the National Guard forces already involved in aiding the CBP authorities along the United States' southwestern frontier.

By October 29, 2018, approximately 800 soldiers of the initial contingent had been deployed, with military officials confirming the remainder would be in place by the end of that week. Citing an unnamed source, KQED-FM reported the forces were being moved to marshaling areas in California, Texas, and Arizona and, from there, would respond to CBP positioning requests. In addition, the operation called for the supply of United States Army-owned anti-riot gear to the CBP.

On November 7th, 2018, the Pentagon announced that the name Operation Faithful Patriot was no longer in use. Instead, the current deployment of troops will be simply referred to as "border support."

Units assigned
As of October 29, 2018, a full list of units participating in border support operations had not been released, but activated forces were said to include military police, in addition to combat aviation, combat engineer, medical, and civil affairs units totaling approximately 5,000 total personnel in addition to roughly 2,000 soldiers of the National Guard already deployed as part of the existing Operation Guardian Support. A surge force consisting of an additional 7,000 troops had been placed on "24-hour notice" to reinforce the frontier if those personnel proved inadequate.

1_Eng_Bn_DUI.png 1st Engineer Battalion

 * 41st Engineer Company

16th_Military_Police_Brigade_SSI.jpg 16th Military Police Brigade

 * 503rd Military Police Battalion

20th_Engineer_Brigade_CSIB.png 20th Engineer Brigade

 * 19th Engineer Battalion

89MPBdeSSI.png 89th Military Police Brigade

 * Headquarters and Headquarters Company

[[file:63rd_SIG_Coat_of_Arms.jpg|30px]] 63rd Expeditionary Signal Battalion

 * Bravo Company

Guardian Support
The existing National Guard mission being reinforced is Operation Guardian Support. The National Guard mission is operating in four task forces: Task Force Anzio, Task Force Salerno, Task Force Defender, and Task Force Aviation. The National Guards of Texas, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Georgia, Missouri, Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi have contributed forces to the operation. Virginia, an early contributor to the operation, withdrew its forces in June 2018 on the order of Governor Ralph Northam.

36th_Infantry_Division_CSIB.svg 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Texas)

 * 536th Brigade Support Battalion (elements)

114AvnRgtCOA.png 114th Aviation Regiment (Mississippi)

 * 1st Security and Support Aviation Battalion (elements)

133_FA_Rgt_DUI.jpg 133rd Field Artillery Regiment (Texas)

 * 3rd Field Artillery Battalion (elements)

151_Avn_Rgt_DUI.jpg 151st Aviation Regiment (South Carolina)

 * 2nd Security and Support Aviation Battalion (elements)