A Border Patrol Tactical Unit agent patrols an area where migrants and asylum seekers wait to be picked up and processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument along the U.S.-Mexico border about a mile west of Lukeville on Dec. 4, 2023. The Lukeville Port of Entry was closed by officials Dec. 4 and reopened in January 2024.
Campo, California – In the rugged hills of eastern San Diego County, olive-green tents flap in the dry wind outside a U.S. Border Patrol station. A few hundred yards from the Pacific Crest Trail and just 14 miles from the Tecate border crossing, more than 160 Marines from Camp Pendleton are now stationed in the remote community of Campo. Their presence represents a significant shift in the Trump administration’s evolving border strategy—and in the military’s domestic role.
Since early June, Marines have been patrolling the area twice daily, according to reports from personnel on the ground. It’s a notable change from their previously limited support roles, which were carefully defined under the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878—a law that restricts the use of federal troops in civilian law enforcement. But under President Trump, those boundaries are being redrawn.
Back in April, Trump signed Executive Order 14167, which designated the federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border as a “military installation,” granting the Department of Defense wider latitude to conduct operations traditionally handled by Customs and Border Protection. That designation, some legal experts argue, may allow federal troops to patrol more aggressively without violating the law’s intent.
Border Patrol officials insist the Marines are supporting operations and not engaging in enforcement activities. But the presence of combat-trained troops armed with rifles near residential communities and migration routes has raised concerns.
“We believe in strong border security, but this campaign is not about security—it’s about fear,” said Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for Governor Gavin Newsom. “Now it appears Marines are being forced to backfill those border slots… This is not just mission creep—it’s putting law enforcement, our soldiers, and the community in danger.”
The military has not reported detaining anyone in Campo, and local residents have expressed a range of reactions—from wary concern to open support. Some, like Navy veteran James “Cricket” Collins, welcome the reinforcement of the border fence. Others worry about the optics of military personnel carrying rifles near public trails and private homes.
The deployment is part of a broader surge. The number of troops assisting border operations has swelled to over 10,000 across the U.S.-Mexico line. That includes approximately 2,500 troops previously stationed along the 2,000-mile corridor, now supplemented by thousands more rotating in for logistical and surveillance missions.
With 8,725 illegal crossings reported along the southwest border in May—including San Diego County—the issue remains volatile. But while crossings have declined, the physical footprint of the U.S. military continues to grow.
What remains unclear is how far this expansion will go—and whether California’s border communities are now on the front lines of a new domestic security strategy.
