Call it Operation Head em up, move em out.
The Department of Homeland Security has asked the Defense Department to supply an additional 700 National Guard troops and more helicopters for security efforts on the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a DHS official with knowledge of the request.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it wants more personnel to support its office, field, intelligence and air and marine operations, a DHS spokesperson confirmed to the Washington Examiner.
Defense Sec. Jim Mattis will respond to the request and is expected to do so “in the coming days,” the DHS official added.
President Trump on April 4 approved up to 4,000 National Guard troops being deployed to the southwest border.
Currently, 750 personnel have been deployed as part of ground units and another 200 are expected to be deployed over the next week in California.
CBP officers announced earlier in the day that the back-up personnel have allowed agents to apprehend an additional 1,600 people attempting to illegally enter the country from Mexico since April 15.