Sen. Ron Johnson Backs DHS Request for More Border Troops

The Department of Homeland Security's request for another 700 National Guard troops at the Mexican border should be approved, Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson said Thursday.

"It's primarily to free the Customs and Border Patrol agents to do their jobs on the border to apprehend individuals," the Wisconsin Republican told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." 

"I completely support DHS's request on this."

On Wednesday, defense and Homeland Security officials told ABC News that the request for the troops, along with helicopters and other equipment is being made to help secure the border.

Defense Secretary James Mattis was expected to review the request and respond to DHS on Thursday, according to the officials.

The extra troops are needed because of the nation's flawed immigration laws, Johnson said.

"As long as we continue to have laws and precedents and loopholes that pretty well require DHS, they'll follow the law," said Johnson.

Unaccompanied children are creating a huge problem, he added. Out of 200,000 children coming in since 2013, only three and one-half percent ever get returned to their countries, he explained, and that creates "a huge incentive for more unaccompanied children" to enter the country.

"If you're an adult and go up the border and have a credible fear of persecution, it sets up a process of hearings and we've got such a huge backlog because so many people taking advantage of our laws," Johnson added.

"Until we actually fix the law that creates incentives and sets up the process where we apprehend, process and disburse we'll continue to have more people come to this country illegally."

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's administration is "definitely" taking a stronger stance, and that is required, the senator said.

"i have no that [Attorney General] Jeff Sessions and this administration will prosecute to the full extent of the law, but follow the law," said Johnson. "Again, we have so many legal loopholes that create these incentives that allow people to stay.

"The criminals will be prosecuted and returned or they will be jailed but again if you are an unaccompanied child from Central America, processed and disbursed and stay in this country until we change those laws."

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