In the article – “Pentagon eases rules to expand military’s role with migrants on border” by David S. Cloud and Molly O’Toole wrote on how the military would send different members which would serve as lawyers and cooks for migrants at the United States border. Currently, according to Cloud and O'Toole, the rules for military on the border are that they cannot directly engage with immigrants, but with the Pentagon easing up on this, now military lawyers can process asylum-seeking migrants, and military cook specialists can give meals to migrants.
The movements were allowed by the Pentagon in order to support United States customs and border protection officials. It is believed that President Trump still says that more military members could be deployed to the border.
Just keeping the military on the border would not help solve anything.Right now they appear to be helping those crossing, but it is not clear when or how this will change. The military has no experience in handling immigration and stopping illegal crossings. They have already been deployed for a certain time and there only role that they have had is to support border patrol agents but have no authority to engage any illegals that cross the border. The military just basically is there to show presence but one must question what it is costing American tax payers.
It makes little sense to send someone who has no experience in these matters to solve a problem that is on the border. All we are doing is just escalating the situation with Mexico. Having the military on the border suggests conflict. They should not even be at the border unless there is a risk that the United States would be attacked at the southern border.
David lapan former senior official DHS states, "So what exactly are these additional military forces going to be doing, and how is it not a violation of the law?” (Cloud and O'Toole) The law prohibits the U.S. military to be used on the border, period. They are not authorized to seize any drugs or stop any illegal immigration at the border. It is just a waste of money having the military present at the border.
Border patrol are the only ones with the power to stop illegal crossers coming to the United States and seize drugs. If the military were to act in a civilian conflict say in riot control, this would cause multiple other countries to go against the action of the United States. The military can’t act but there is nothing really stopping them from doing so. President Trump already knows that if the military were to act he would have a problem in his hands stating that “Our military, don’t forget, can’t act like a military would act because if they got a little rough, everybody would go crazy.” (Cloud and O'Toole) There is a difference between being stopped by border patrol which is their job to protect the border and being stopped by the military if it happens.
References: Pentagon eases rules to expand military's role with migrants on border
Comments