Trump says US troops can use "lethal force" to threaten border closure

Earlier this week, Trump approved a memorandum giving troops at the border the new power to protect customs and border protection personnel from migrants if they engaged in violence. Until the new authority was granted, troops were not allowed to intervene if CBP personnel were attacked, unless they were obliged to act for their own defense.

Trump sent nearly 6,000 troops to the US-Mexico border to protect himself from a group of Central American migrants from Mexico. A large number of migrants said that they were seeking asylum and fleeing gang violence and persecution in their home country. Trump ordered the deployment shortly before the midterm elections, while he was making the fight against illegal immigration a central part of his speech for Republicans looking for a post .

US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said on Wednesday that "no lethal force has been launched (from the Department of Homeland Security)," saying any troop backing into the customs would not wear guns but could be equipped with shields and batons.

Trump Thursday also said "two days ago we closed the border" and added, "no one is coming back."

It was apparently hinting at the temporary closure on Monday of all vehicle traffic heading north to the country's busiest entrance port, San Ysidro. CBP stated that the traffic lanes were closed to allow the installation of jersey barriers and accordion yarns and "to prepare for the potential arrival of thousands of people migrating in a caravan heading towards the border. the United States".

The president said "if we find that it is uncontrollable" or if we come to a point "where our people will start to be hurt, we will close the entry into the country for a while until 39 we can control it. "

"The whole border, I mean the whole border," said Trump.

"When they lose control of the border on the Mexican side, we close the border," said Trump, explaining that Mexico "could no longer sell cars in the United States."