U.S. border-states pledge 1,600 troops for U.S.-Mexico border, California holds out

Edited by Pavel Jacomino
2018-04-11 16:57:34

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Texan officials said about 300 troops would be dispatched, by the state, weekly until the complement of the National Guard reaches at least 1,000.  Photo: Reute

El Paso, April 11 (RHC)-- Three U.S. states -- Arizona, Texas and New Mexico -- will reportedly send the troops to supposedly help stem the flow of immigration and drug trafficking across the border in the United States. 

U.S. President Donald Trump had announced plans to use armed forces to shore up the region.  Last week, the U.S. commander-in-chief said he wants to send between 2,000 and 4,000 National Guard members to the Mexican border, due to “the misrule that continues on our southern border.” 

Texan officials said about 300 troops would be dispatched weekly until the complement of the National Guard reaches at least 1,000.  Arizona announced that they would first send 225 and then another 113 and New Mexico promised more than 80 National Guard troops. 

Last week, Defense Secretary James Mattis approved Pentagon funding for 4,000 members of the National Guard, until the end of September.  The Defense Department announced that members of the National Guard will not carry out police functions or “interact with migrants or other detainees” without the approval of Mattis.  “The carrying of weapons will be limited to circumstances that may require self-defense,” the department said in a statement. 

Meanwhile, authorities in Democratic-led California, another border state, have remained silent on any commitment of troops to the border security effort.  California Governor Jerry Brown has been at loggerheads with Trump over opposing stance on the United States' immigration policy. 

The arrival of a caravan of Central American undocumented immigrants in Mexico City triggered Trump's border protection plan.  But organizers of the caravan said there were no plans to travel to the U.S. border. 

Mexico's foreign secretary, Luis Videgaray, said the government is evaluating its relationship with Washington.  Videgaray, however, explained that “no decision has yet been taken to suspend or reduce any cooperation mechanism.” 



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