Premier combat unit ordered to prep for border amid Trump's anti-immigrant push

NEW YORK, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- One of the Pentagon's premier units has been ordered to prepare to be deployed to the southern border, part of U.S. President Donald Trump's increasing militarization of immigration, reported USA Today on Friday.

The 10th Mountain Division has received a warning order to deploy troops to the southern border and has sent planners to U.S. Northern Command for the mission, the report cited Army source.

The 10th Mountain Division is designed to send combat-ready forces on short notice to hotspots around the world.

"It is not clear how many soldiers from the division, a light-infantry formation, will be sent to the border," it noted.

The move follows an initial order by the Pentagon of about 1,500 active-duty forces to the border earlier this week, it added.