President Trump signed an order Wednesday deploying National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to boost security while he pressures Congress to deliver more resources to build his wall, hire more Border Patrol agents and make it easier to deport new illegal immigrants.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said it’s too early to know how many troops will be sent, what their exact role will be or how much it will cost, but she suggested it would likely be along the lines of deployments by Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, who sent the National Guard to assist in intelligence-gathering, construction and surveillance.
The move came just as the government announced the latest numbers showing illegal immigration leaped 200 percent in March compared with a year earlier. It is the largest increase in records dating back to 2011, and it suggests illegal immigration is quickly rising back to the heights of the Obama administration.
Ms. Nielsen said National Guard troops could be on the border immediately, though exact timing would depend on when the White House could strike agreements with governors.
Perhaps just as big was the White House announcement that Mr. Trump will pursue a new immigration debate on Capitol Hill. Unlike the February debate, which centered on legalizing illegal immigrants, this one will focus on stiffening enforcement by attempting to close loopholes that smugglers and illegal immigrants have seized on to “game” the system.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/apr/4/trump-sign-order-deploying-national-guard-border/
