U.S. Troops at the Border Limited In What They Can Do

[babylonsister]

IOW, a waste of time and money.

https://politicalwire.com/2018/10/31/u-s-troops-at-the-border-limited-in-what-they-can-do/

U.S. Troops at the Border Limited In What They Can Do

October 31, 2018 at 9:55 am EDT By Taegan Goddard

Stars and Stripes: “The more than 5,200 active-duty troops being sent by President Donald Trump to the U.S.-Mexico border will be limited in what they can do under a federal law that restricts the military from engaging in law enforcement on American soil.”

“That means the troops will not be allowed to detain immigrants, seize drugs from smugglers or have any direct involvement in stopping a migrant caravan that is still about 1,000 miles from the nearest border crossing.”

“Instead, their role will largely mirror that of the existing National Guard troops — about 2,000 in all — deployed to the border over the past six months, including providing helicopter support for border missions, installing concrete barriers and repairing and maintaining vehicles.”

[genxlib]

1. They left out photo-ops

They will be able to perform a lot of photo-ops.

Since optics is the only mission here, that is all they are expected to do.

[PatSeg]

7. Yep

That will be the primary reason for deployment, actually the ONLY reason.

[exboyfil]

2. How much is concrete

They could be used as a free labor force to start Trump's wall.

Of course they will not be happy about this, and their training schedule will suffer.

As a sign of good faith, Trump could pitch in a billion for concrete.

[FBaggins]

3. True enough... but not the limitation that some assume

The same rule applies to the Navy in drug interdiction missions. They aren't law enforcement.

However... place a small Coast Guard unit on a Navy destroyer - and now you effectively have another Coast Guard cutter.

[MineralMan]

4. Immediately after the election next Tuesday,

we'll hear very little about the caravan and the troops. This is pure electioneering on Trump's part. An attempt to demonize a bunch of poor migrants to get out the right-wingers and stupid people to vote.

After the election, there will no longer be a need for troops at the border.

[leftyladyfrommo]

5. Mostly they have to be able to play cards

since those awful poor people are about a thousand miles away.

[atreides1]

6. Labor Battalions

Trump is going to use active duty military personnel to do the shit work...

[marybourg]

8. An Executive Order will take care of that.