Here’s how many troops will deploy to the U.S.-Mexico border in ‘Operation Faithful Patriot’ and when they will get there

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan, Commander, United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command General Terrence John O’Shaughnessy, and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security Kenneth P. Rapuano hosted a joint press conference Monday on the Department of Defense deployment to the Southwest border. [Highlights below the video]

In a military deployment dubbed Operation Faithful Patriot, 800 soldiers are on the way to the southern border at this time and by the end of the week, the military will deploy over 5,200 soldiers on the U.S.-Mexico border in addition to the 2,092 National Guard troops and 16,605 Border Patrol agents already on the border. Another 2,000 troops are on standby.

Timing of the Faithful Patriot Deployment:

• 800 soldiers arrived Monday
• 200 to arrive Tuesday
• 1700 will be in place by Nov. 3

The deployment will include combat engineers, heavy equipment, 3 helicopter companies, medical equipment, personnel and facilities, housing and a ton of fencing/barricades.

When asked if the troops deploying to the border would be armed, O’Shaughnessy said that any units that are normally armed on deployment will be armed on the border.