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Dan Lamothe
Reporter covering the Pentagon and the US Army
Nick Miroff
Journalist covering issues of immigration, drug trafficking and national security
The Trump administration is preparing to send thousands of additional US troops to the Mexican border, US officials said on Monday, as President Trump compared a caravan of Central American migrants to an "invasion."
An Interior Security Department official who knew the planning said that 5,000 active-duty soldiers would be temporarily sent to the border, but two other US officials warned that the final number had not yet been determined by the military. Pentagon.
It is unclear at this time why the scale of the mobilization has increased five-fold, from 800 to 1,000 soldiers that Defense officials discussed last week. The additional staff would join about 2,000 National Guard soldiers posted at the border since April, and the combined force would be the largest deployment in at least a decade.
Trump said in a tweet on Monday that the caravan's plans to reach the border amounted to "an invasion".
"Many gang members and very bad people mingle with the Caravan heading for our southern border," he tweeted. "Please, go back, you will not be admitted to the United States unless you go through the legal process. It's an invasion of our country and our military are waiting for you! "
The White House has sought to make immigration the main topic of the mid-term elections, convinced that Truch's message of strict law enforcement would continue to push his conservative supporters to the polls and even attract the more moderate voters. The president seized the caravan of migrants, helping to draw attention to the group and calling it a threat to national security.
Pentagon officials and Homeland Security officials are preparing a joint press conference Monday afternoon to describe the deployment in more detail. A DHS official involved in the preparations said the plans had not been finalized yet, but troop levels last week were not realistic.
"We asked for capabilities, and the DHS is looking to fill them, and the [Pentagon] is determining the units to be sent and the number of staff it will hire, and this has not yet been determined, "said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. , to discuss the deliberations.
[Trump considering plan to ban entry of migrants at southern border, deny asylum]
US authorities have stated that the deployment of the border under consideration would not include "triggers" for stopping migrants or other law enforcement tasks.
Troops would instead provide "logistical support" to the US Border Patrol and other internal security agencies, and include construction brigades, airlift crews and medical personnel.
The largest deployment was reported for the first time by the Wall Street Journal.
Immigrant rights groups have accused Trump of demagoguery on the issue by increasing the size and security threat posed by migrants, many of whom are families, including children.
The White House has put significant pressure on the Mexican government to block the advance of the caravan. The group dropped by a peak of nearly 7,000 migrants, with some travelers having the impression of feet and parents with children dropping or falling behind. At least 1,000 members of the caravan have sought asylum in Mexico, authorities said.
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto offered Friday temporary work permits, medical care and other benefits to migrants who agreed to register with authorities and remained in the Mexican states of Chiapas and Mexico. Oaxaca, far from the American border. But the grassroots group of mainly Honduran migrants, estimated at between 3,000 and 4,000 by the authorities, rejected his request and continued his route north towards the US border.
The caravan stays at least 900 miles from US territory. His arrival is not imminent.
In an attempt to limit the size of the caravan, the Mexican police clashed Sunday with a smaller, smaller group from Central America trying to enter Guatemala and catch up with the main group. At least one man was killed when police fired rubber bullets and tear gas.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Sunday that he was finalizing the details of the rules under which US troops deployed at the border would operate. Mattis said he would ensure that all the necessary material reaches the border, noting that the military will provide building elements such as Jersey gates. He stated that his staff had met in recent days to determine the number of staff members who would have left, but that deployment would be "phased".
"At the border, we are preparing what we call defense support for civilian authorities," said Mattis.
David Nakamura and Paul Sonne contributed to this report.
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