The Democrat expected to head the House Armed Services Committee in the incoming Congress is slamming the White House’s decision to allow U.S. troops stationed along the southern border to use lethal force if necessary against migrants seeking to cross into American territory.
Washington state Democrat Rep. Adam Smith, set to claim the gavel of the House defense panel with the incoming Democratic majority, demanded Monday that the administration provide details on why the decision was made.
“This decision raises serious legal questions, puts our armed forces in an untenable position and further reduces our readiness,” the House lawmaker said in a letter to the Trump White House. “This is yet another unnecessary step towards the militarization of the southern border and is not a proportional response to individuals who wish to legally seek asylum” in the U.S.
Mr. Smith is also seeking information on the total cost to the Pentagon for the border operation, what kinds of weapons U.S. troops will be authorized to use, and what language and legal training on handling asylum seekers U.S. troops have received.
Roughly 5,700 active-duty U.S. troops were ordered to the southern border in October to support border security operations led by the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Patrol. The largest U.S. troop contingent has been deployed to Texas, with nearly 2,800 soldiers on station there, with 1,500 based along the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona and another 1,300 along the border in California.
Mr. Trump this month approved orders granting U.S. troops the authority to use lethal force against the illegal immigrants, along with operations such as crowd control and conducting cursory searches and temporary detentions of caravan members.
The new rules of engagement are “creating a dangerous situation where thousands of armed troops are being asked to operate under vague and unclear rules of engagement,” Mr. Smith said in his statement.
• Carlo Muñoz can be reached at cmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.