Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reviving the Mexican Border Defense Medal to recognize personnel deployed along the U.S.–Mexico border to assist federal law enforcement with President Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown.
The Pentagon confirmed to Fox News Digital Wednesday that U.S. troops serving with Joint Task Force Southern Border will earn a Mexican Border Defense Medal, which was first introduced in 1918. It will replace the Armed Forces Service Medal (AFSM) created in 1996 by former President Bill Clinton, which service members were previously awarded for similar non-combat roles.
A copy of the memo detailing the change began circulating online on Aug. 13.
The award comes as the administration touts steep declines in illegal immigration in Trump’s second term. Migrant apprehensions dropped to about 6,000 in June and 4,600 in July, the lowest monthly totals on record. Those figures represent a 92 percent year-over-year decrease compared with July last year, according to Customs and Border Protection data.
According to the Pentagon memo, troops who previously received the AFSM can appeal for the new award, but may not receive both for the same period of service.
“Service members and Veterans previously awarded the AFSM for DoD support to CBP may apply to their respective Military Service for award of the MBDM in lieu of the AFSM previously awarded to recognize such service,” the memo said. “However, no Service member or Veteran may be awarded both the AFSM and the MBDM for the same period of qualifying service.”
In an opinion piece for USA Today published Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Trump administration has “achieved operational security at the border.”
“Zero illegal immigrants were released into the country in May, June, and July,” she wrote. “Seven months into his second term, it’s clear that the president has done what he said he’d do by reestablishing law and order at our southern border and by removing violent illegal immigrants from our nation. Both actions were necessary for Americans’ peace and prosperity.”
Earlier this week, she announced at a briefing in New Mexico that Trump’s wall at the southern U.S. border. The change is being made “specifically at the request of the president,” because “when something is painted black, it gets even warmer, making it even harder for people to climb,” Noem explained.
