Trump says he will put U.S. military on southern border

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill




BY JORDAN FABIAN - 04/03/18 01:05 PM EDT

Link to tweet

President Trump said Tuesday that he plans to deploy U.S. troops along the southern border to prevent illegal crossings.

“Until we have the wall, we are going to be guarding our border with our military. That's a big step,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

Defense Secretary James Mattis was sitting next to Trump when he made his comments.

Such a move would significantly escalate the U.S. presence along the frontier with Mexico. The U.S. Border Patrol — not the military — is tasked with protecting the border.

Trump has recently reverted back to his hard-line stance on immigration, backing away from his efforts to compromise with Democrats on Capitol Hill.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/381435-trump-says-he-will-put-us-military-on-southern-border

[ck4829]

1. So... a wall of human bodies? With Trump and Evangelicals in charge, I'm sure this will be literal

soon enough.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. "but hey don't let laws stop you"

#BREAKING
Trump: "We are going to be guarding the border with theMilitary until we get a wall"

The Posse Comitatus Act limits the Guard troops to acting only in support of the U.S. Border Patrol, and state and local law enforcement officers.

but hey don't let laws stop you

Link to tweet

Posse Comitatus Act

The Posse Comitatus Act is a United States federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1385, original at 20 Stat. 152) signed on June 18, 1878 by President Rutherford B. Hayes. The purpose of the act – in concert with the Insurrection Act of 1807 – is to limit the powers of the federal government in using federal military personnel to enforce domestic policies within the United States. It was passed as an amendment to an army appropriation bill following the end of Reconstruction, and was subsequently updated in 1956 and 1981.

The Act only specifically applies to the United States Army and, as amended in 1956, the United States Air Force. While the Act does not explicitly mention the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps, the Department of the Navy has prescribed regulations that are generally construed to give the Act force with respect to those services as well. The Act does not apply to the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard under state authority from acting in a law enforcement capacity within its home state or in an adjacent state if invited by that state's governor. The United States Coast Guard, which operates under the Department of Homeland Security, is not covered by the Posse Comitatus Act either, primarily because although the Coast Guard is an armed service, it also has both a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency mission.

The title of the act comes from the legal concept of posse comitatus, the authority under which a county sheriff, or other law officer, conscripts any able-bodied man to assist her or him in keeping the peace.

[2left4u]

12. Sadly that doesn't apply as

Border control is Federal and if deemed a threat to national security completely legal to deploy the military.

What you cite is using the military against US citizens.

[logosoco]

33. That is a loop hole...

but why doesn't he have to prove it is in the interest of national security?

Congress and the press just seem to be sitting back and not questioning anything this idiot is doing.

[2left4u]

35. EXACTLY!

[no_hypocrisy]

3. 1. I thought we already had border guards.

2. The military is going to shoot to kill illegal immigrants crossing the border, including women, children, and old people?
3. This wasn't in The Budget . . . .

[Iliyah]

4. I guess they are not good enough . . .

but military presence will scare the shit of them.

[laserhaas]

5. Ain't that some chit!

[dameatball]

6. Maybe he can just line up all his ex aides and ex-cabinet officials arm to arm. That should do it.

[highmindedhavi]

7. repugs are saying Clinton used the Military at Waco

10 delta force soldiers

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

21. Which Clinton? Bill? Hillary? George?

[Jazzgirl]

24. LOLOL!!!

[Yavin4]

25. George. Back when we were one nation under a groove.

Getting down just for the funk of it.

[dembotoz]

8. wonder how that is gonna go over...border guards apply to be border guards but army types no

obviously you get an order you follow the order....
but i wonder when the folks you are guarding against look too much like your neighbors back home

[atreides1]

9. Mattis the crotch sniffer

Some f**king Marine he turned out to be! There are no good Marine commanders anymore...no more Smedley Butlers, no more Chesty Pullers...men of integrity, men who once they swore an oath to support and defend the US Constitution, did so, true patriots who were the exemplars of the Marine motto, Semper Fidelis!!!

[crowman2016]

36. Yeah, Mattis should change his nickname to "Lap Dog".

[malthaussen]

10. Will the next war be with Mexico?

Hadn't thought of that before. They need to hurry if they're going to be ready for one in time before the election.

-- Mal

[marble falls]

11. See? He's learned something from Kim Jung Un already.

[Turbineguy]

13. No problemo amigo!

Oath of Commissioned Officers

I, _____, having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend President Donald J Trump against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God."

[OliverQ]

14. This is blatantly illegal and completely dictator behavior.

This is what the Nazis did. Military taking to the streets, demanding people's papers.

[ripcord]

32. Actually it isn't

President Obama put 1200 troops on the southern border to help enforce immigration laws.

[OliverQ]

37. He put the National Guard on the border, not active duty military.

[agueybana79]

15. Has anyone told Drumpf that 50% or more of illegal immigrants fly over the border and overstay visas

What a fucking waste of money and manpower. MORON!

[MineralMan]

16. Using what troops? I doubt Trump even knows what

resources are available for such a venture.

Maybe he's planning to deploy the same folks who will be in his big parade.

[Locrian]

17. perfect to outsource this to blackwater...

or whatever the fuck they call themselves now.

Win - Win. Outsource it to his donors and they get the $$ and trump increases his Schutzstaffel

[MineralMan]

18. Now, that would be severely extra-constitutional.

We already have organizations that are in charge of immigration enforcement. ICE and the Border Patrol. There's no legal way to contract out their duties, frankly. Both could be expanded, of course, but Congress probably would not fund such an expansion, and the President couldn't pay for it.

Frankly, Trump is just talking out of his ass, as usual, again.

[Locrian]

19. yes - definitey (talking out his ass)

but don't think there aren't people who would *love* the idea

And that's the thing: trump never has to actually DO anything.
He just destroys or says nonsense bullshit - he's still following the WWE wrestling script of theater.

The big problem (one of) is that the system continues to respond / feedback and create all sorts of mutated responses. Further debasing the conversation, dialog, respect, science, logic, etc, etc, etc.

[vsrazdem]

20. OMG. I was just coming back to Arizona from California this weekend and passed

a convoy of troops on the interstate. My daughter jokingly said they were probably heading for the border. I guess she was right.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

22. It's been tried before, results were not good public relations.

Of course, Trump doesn't care about public relations.

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5427281

[notdarkyet]

23. Its really hot, HOT, on the border this time of year and fewer people try to cross now

Because many of them die. I hope the soldiers enjoy their heavy gear, nothingness as far as the eye can see, no rest stops or restaurants and 110-120 degree temps. Have fun.

[jberryhill]

26. And where will they be staying?

This could lead to the first 3rd Amendment cases in a long time, if ever.

Are they going to be camping out on private property along the border?

[End Of The Road]

39. And how...

How will they be supplied with food and water?

[jberryhill]

40. Well they should pack some sandwiches

[heaven05]

27. may the stupid, stupid

barely human POS get thrown out of office sooner rather than later....

[matt819]

28. Blah blah blah

One small problem. He can't do that, and saying he will doesn't change that. And no wall is being built. And there are no caravans. And yet 50% of American believe this shit and eat it raw.

[3catwoman3]

31. Chris Hayes had a good response last week to Trump's...

...idea of a see thru wall. "It's called a fence," he said.

[C_U_L8R]

29. Hey Trump, you and what army?

Go send your goodfernuthin chickenshit children

[gibraltar72]

30. He will divert soldiers

from the great trade war.

[Turbineguy]

34. What about the flying saucers?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THE FLYING SAUCERS, MISTER PRESIDENT!!??!!

[Sam McGee]

38. I wish my memory were better . . .

I was on active duty, Army, 1967 - 1995.

Back in the late 1980's (may have been early 1990's) when I was on the SECDEF staff, a friend of mine was a planner on the JCS staff. They produced a plan to all but seal the US-Mexico border. The conclusion was that the Army, Marines, and Air Force combined -- including National Guard -- did not have enough troops to seal the border. I don't recall the number of divisions (at 15,000 troops per division) were required, but, at that time, we didn't have the manpower, even if the Guard were called up.