Pentagon Reduces Troop Levels at US-Mexico Border to 3,150

19:25 GMT, 17 December 2018

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US military has lowered the number of personnel deployed on the southwest border to 3,150 but will continue assessing the needs of the Custom and Border Protection (CBP) agency, US Defense Department spokesperson Robert Manning told reporters on Monday.

Sputnik

"Currently we have approximately 3,150 supporting customs and border patrol along the southwest border with approximately 1,050 in… Texas corridor, 900 in Arizona, and 1,200 in California," Manning said. "The department will continue to assess requirements to meet CBP needs."

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The number represents a drop of more than 2,000 troops from the figure the Pentagon reported last week. On December 11, Manning told reporters there were about 5,200 US troops on the southern border, a 7,000-person reduction from the 5,900 that were stationed there in November.

On November 30, Defense Secretary James Mattis approved the Department of Homeland Security's request to extend the deployment of troops currently stationed along the US-Mexico border through the end of January. The original request was set to expire on December 15.

The active duty military personnel were deployed to the US southwest border in October to assist the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) upon the arrival of migrant caravans from Central America.