Nearly 200 New York National Guard Troops Sent to Southern Border Amid Crackdown

Nearly 200 soldiers from the New York National Guard have been deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border this week as part of the federal government’s latest push to clamp down on illegal crossings.

The troops will be stationed in the Laredo Sector of Texas, which spans 136 miles along the Rio Grande – one of the nation’s busiest corridors for unlawful entry.

In an October 15th release, the Guard confirmed that its soldiers will provide “maintenance, transportation and engineer support” to the U.S. Border Patrol. Military vehicles, including four Humvees outfitted with surveillance systems, will also accompany the deployment. The Guard did not disclose the specific technology involved, though federal agencies commonly use license plate readers, drones, and observation towers in these missions.

The deployment is scheduled to last 14 months and includes two New York units: 63 soldiers from the 104th Military Police Battalion based in Kingston and 125 soldiers from the 442nd Military Police Company based in Farmingdale.

“Our soldiers have been preparing for this deployment for most of the past year and are ready and well trained for their mission assisting the Border Patrol,” said Lt. Col. Nicholas Paolini, commander of the 104th.

This is not the first time New York Guard soldiers have been sent to the border. In 2024, a federal deployment ended in tragedy when two helicopter pilots were killed in a crash near Rio Grande City, Texas.

Currently, more than 850 members of the New York National Guard are serving on federal assignments across the globe including in the Middle East, Guantanamo Bay, and Africa.

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Nearly 200 New York National Guard Troops Sent to Southern Border Amid Crackdown