48 Hours with Marines and Soldiers on the US Southern Border
Amid President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, military assets and personnel are increasingly being relied upon for a new type of mission.
Marines were deployed here to reinforce barriers during President Donald Trump's first term, but they were not armed with the long guns their Guardian Angels carry now, NPR reported. An old policy from the very unit these Marines come from said Guardian Angels must watch over their units' security with an "ambush mentality."
By Drew F. Lawrence Military.com
Published April 24, 2025 at 4:22pm ET
"Things have changed."
Lt. Col. Phillip Mason stood on a narrow peninsula in early April just west of downtown San Diego, overlooking the coastal border between the U.S. and Mexico as a seasonal fog obscured the view.
Mason, peering through wraparound-style sunglasses, had been tasked with a border mission before, back in 2018. This time, he is serving as the commander of Task Force 716, composed of 350 soldiers who are helping Customs and Border Protection by keeping a 24/7 eye on the Pacific Ocean looking for migrants and smugglers.
To cut through the fog, the soldiers have hauled in a Ground-Based Operational Surveillance System, or G-BOSS, set up on a trailer from Kentucky. The platform uses infrared optics among other tools to pierce through visual obstructions, like the omnipresent mist.
"This is a great example of what has changed," Mason said, gesturing to the platform. Its maker had pitched it to the U.S. military by saying it would "save lives" and help troops "detect the enemy's movements at great distances, allowing for rapid response to threats." Soldiers in the task force said the system has helped them see speedy jet skis, recreational vessels and skiff-like "panga" boats likely being used to drop off people or contraband into the U.S. from Mexico.
For years, U.S. troops have been sent to the border to assist law enforcement agencies in a supporting role -- mending fences and detection.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/investigations-and-features/2025/04/24/48-hours-marines-and-soldiers-us-southern-border.html
