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\"These service members will provide mission-enhancing capabilities that allow Customs and Border Protection personnel to provide more law enforcement officers to the field,\" said an Arizona National Guard statement.

\"The Guard will provide air support, reconnaissance support, operational support, construction of border infrastructure, and logistical support. This will allow CBP to increase operational control of the region.\"

The governors of California and New Mexico have not announced whether they will participate in the support mission unveiled by the Trump administration earlier this week.

On Friday, Mattis signed a memo that authorized the federal government to pay for the deployment of up to 4,000 National Guardsmen under what is known as Title 32. Under that authority, state governors will call up guardsmen for the mission and maintain their command and control, but their operations will be paid for by the federal government.

The memo signed by Mattis recommended that he \"Authorize and approve up to 4,000 National Guard personnel in Federal pay and duty status, under title 32 U.S. Code, section 502, to conduct operations in support of DHS southern border security missions ... through September 30, 2018.\"

It remains unclear how many additional guardsmen could be deployed by the four southwestern border states.

The memo also said that National Guard personnel “will not perform law enforcement activities or interact with migrants or other persons detained by DHS personnel without your approval: arming will be limited to circumstances that might require self-defense.”

The potential call up of as many as 4,000 National Guardsmen is in line with Trump's estimate Thursday that he would like to see between 2,000 to 4,000 National Guard troops deployed to the border.

Also unclear is how long the deployments could last; Trump has said wants National Guardsmen to guard the U.S. border with Mexico until a border wall is built.

The initial deployments of Texas and Arizona National Guardsmen are in line with what the Pentagon's chief spokesperson had outlined at a Thursday press conference.

\"The National Guard's efforts will include aviation, engineering, surveillance, communications, vehicle maintenance and logistical support,\" said White.

In 2006 the Bush administration deployed 6,000 Guardsmen as part of the border support mission known as Operation Jump Start.

President Barack Obama deployed 1,200 guardsmen in 2010 as part of a similar mission called Operation Phalanx.

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