US Army Deploys More Troops to Quiet Rio Grande Sector

The U.S. Army has deployed hundreds of additional soldiers to the Rio Grande Valley this month, shifting forces from elsewhere along the 2,000-mile border. In Roma, Texas, an area once busy with illegal crossings, Army Lt. Col. Ray Richards described the riverbank as quiet during a recent media visit. Soldiers and Border Patrol agents now operate monitoring posts, infantry vehicles, and helicopters where rafts previously carried migrants.

U.S. officials said the surge follows signs of elevated drug cartel activity and comes alongside increased cooperation from the Mexican military. The U.S. Coast Guard reported encountering gunfire from the Mexican side of the river recently, prompting return fire. Despite the buildup, illegal crossings have plummeted largely due to asylum restrictions enacted before President Trump returned to the White House.

“At any given time, there would be multiple rafts full of people trying to get to this side.”

Experts question the military expansion weeks before midterm elections. Border security remains a polling bright spot for Trump, with about half of Americans approving his performance. Critics argue the deployment resembles political theater more than effective strategy, noting most fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin seizures occur at legal checkpoints, not between ports of entry.