President Trump to Station National Guard Troops at U.S-Mexico Border
President Trump signed proclamation Wednesday that will send National Guard troops to the southwest U.S-Mexico border to aid Border Patrol efforts to impede the entry of illegal immigrants.
He wrote in a memo to administration officials that “situation at the border has now reached a point of crisis.”
The President tweeted on Wednesday morning that the Congress needs to immediately rectify the United States’ “very weak” border laws, asserting his intention to “take strong action today” against the influx of immigrants attempting to illegally cross the border.
Our Border Laws are very weak while those of Mexico & Canada are very strong. Congress must change these Obama era, and other, laws NOW! The Democrats stand in our way – they want people to pour into our country unchecked….CRIME! We will be taking strong action today.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 4, 2018
According to NPR, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen announced on Wednesday that the President plans to issue directives to both the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon to cooperate with governors to secure the border.
This announcement comes after President Trump’s declaration on Tuesday of an urgent need to secure the border, stating that “we are going to be guarding our border with our military,” as reported by The New York Times.
The Associated Press tweeted Wednesday afternoon that the National Guard troops could be deployed to “U.S-Mexico border as soon as Wednesday night”
Trump administration says National Guard troops could head to US-Mexico border as soon as Wednesday night. https://t.co/7YlDoZWnhB
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 4, 2018
The proclamation also orders the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense, along with the Attorney General, to study what other steps can be taken to secure the border. The president has long vowed to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
