US News

Soldiers from 101st Airborne Division ‘Screaming Eagles’ deploy to border to support Trump’s crackdown

By
Isabel Keane
Published Jan. 26, 2025, 8:24 a.m. ET

Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division — nicknamed the Screaming Eagles — deployed to the southern border on Saturday to support President Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration into the country.

Trump, who declared a national emergency at the border after taking office on Monday, ordered the military to help secure the border. He is reportedly considering sending up to 10,000 troops to the border.

A US Army soldier closes a gate at the US-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas, on January 24, 2025.
A US Army soldier closes a gate at the US-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas, on January 24, 2025. AFP via Getty Images
A US Army armored vehicle patrols the US-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas, on January 24, 2025.
A US Army armored vehicle patrols the US-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas, on January 24, 2025. AFP via Getty Images

Military police officers with the 716th Military Police Battalion left Saturday from Fort Campbell in Kentucky “in support of U.S. Northern Command’s mission to protect the territorial integrity of the United States,” according to a press release obtained by WKRN.

The 101st Airborne Division is one of the most recognizable units in the US military — made famous by the book and HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers,” which featured paratroopers from the unit during the Second World War.

Military police and engineers from at least eight states are among the units being sent to the southern border this week, according to Task & Purpose.

A drone view shows U.S. authorities expelling migrants, mostly Venezuelans, as they are met by Mexican authorities at the Jeronimo-Santa Teresa border crossing, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, January 24, 2025.
A drone view shows U.S. authorities expelling migrants, mostly Venezuelans, as they are met by Mexican authorities at the Jeronimo-Santa Teresa border crossing, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, January 24, 2025. REUTERS

Additional soldiers from the 82nd Airborne and 10th Mountain have been told that they could also be sent to the US-Mexico frontier, the outlet reported, citing sources. 

Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division are expected to work closely with federal agencies responsible for policing the border, including Customs and Border Protection. 

The miilitary ordered 1,500 more troops to the border following Trump’s directive to the Pentagon on Monday. Thousands more could be headed later.

The changes come as targeted arrests of hundreds of illegal immigrants with criminal records began in sanctuary cities around the country on Tuesday, and as the Department of Justice vows to crack down on any sanctuary jurisdiction that interferes with immigration enforcement.