House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul said President Donald Trump is using the "biggest show of force" he's seen in his life to stop the thousands of people in a caravan coming through Mexico from entering the United States illegally.
"They are not going to be matched with the United States military," the Texas Republican told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "These guys have been activated under a different title, Title X authority, to work hand-in-glove with Border Patrol directly on the border."
However, it does remain a big question what the 15,000 troops Trump has said could be at the border will be able to achieve, said McCaul.
"Once they touch base in the United States, they are afforded all due process, rights, protection under our law," McCaul said about the migrants in the caravan. "Currently, the law that myself and the chairman tried to change would have prevented this caravan from getting into the United States. Every Democrat voted against our bill, and I sure hope the leadership will take that bill when we get back after the election."
There also will be a debate about the military's limitations in a support role, said McCaul.
"I do know that the northern command is in charge of these active-duty troops," he said. "This is a departure from anything that we have seen before...now we are seeing active duty military employees directly on the border to work right on the border, not pushing paper, but actually working."
However, he said lawmakers hope the move will be a show of force that will deter other caravans.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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