Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen announced
from the White House briefing room on Wednesday that President Donald
Trump is deploying National Guard troops to the U.S. southern border
immediately in conjunction with the border state governors.
Nielsen told reporters that she was not going to get ahead of
governors on the size and duration of the effort, but that “it will be
strong. It will be as many [troops] as are needed to fill the gaps
today.” She said the action would be similar to Operation Jumpstart
under President George W. Bush.
She said they are looking at options to build a wall along the border where they place military installations.
Nielsen said that replacing current border wall counts as new wall.
She said they are seeing more advertising from smugglers and
traffickers as well as pitches to “borrow” children to appear as family
units that may give them a greater chance at being allowed to stay in
the U.S.
DHS has watched for current and emerging threats and despite steps
the Trump administration has thus far taken over the past 15 months,
they are still seeing drugs and people smuggled across the border, said
Nielsen, who marked it as a threat to children and rule of law.
“Border security is national security which is homeland security,” said Nielsen. “The threat is real.”
She pointed out that despite a 40 percent decrease in crossing last year, they have now seen crossing surge to prior levels.
Nielsen said that the operation will be overseen by the president and
expressed the administration’s hope that Congress will finally act on
loopholes in immigration law. She pointed out that smugglers are using
claims of “credible fear” to get their human cargo into — and remain in —
the United States. She also pointed out that these traffickers are
taking advantage of loopholes that make it harder for the U.S. to remove
individuals from Central American countries due to immigration law. The
secretary said the issue has been exacerbated by the deeply flawed
Flores agreement, a courtroom settlement which contributes to catch and
release.
The secretary added that these false claims of “credible fear” are also making it harder to help those with valid claims.
The National Guard’s activities are expected to include countering
criminal activity, aerial support, and some infrastructure construction
where able, and aerial support. Nielsen confirmed that there may be some
wall built by these troops where military installations are placed.
Nielsen added that counterparts in Mexico have been informed about
this action and they understand and respect U.S. national sovereignty.
She said the Trump administration does do not expect this operation to
affect the U.S. relationship with Mexico and that Congress has the
ability and opportunity to provide the country with what it needs for
border security.
The secretary emphasized that the U.S. welcomes legal immigrants,
that the president is committed to securing the border, and that this is
not a partisan issue.
"When Germans came into Poland, Poles made no more sporting shotguns.They made Sten clones. When Russians went into Chechniya, Chechens made no sporting shotguns, either. They made various submachine guns.
Demerit, Unz Review - When the best-person-for-the-job ethos gives way to racial and gender window-dressing and to the enforcement of politically pleasing perspectives; things start to fall apart. A spanking new bridge collapses, new trains on maiden trips derail, Navy ships keep colliding, police and FBI failure and bad faith become endemic, and the protocols put in place by a government “for the people” protect offending public servants who’ve acted against the people. The U.S. government hasn’t had an entrance test since 1982. Universities run a “dual admissions system”—“one admissions pool for white applicants and another, far less competitive, pool for minorities.”
