Republished with permission by Knowhere News

President Donald Trump said at a campaign rally on Wednesday he may deploy up to 15,000 active-duty troops to the southern border in order to prevent migrants traveling in a caravan from entering the US.

Speaking to reporters, the president said, “We’ll go up to anywhere between 10 and 15,000 military personnel on top of Border Patrol, ICE and everybody else at the border.”

Trump has called the caravan “very dangerous” and vowed that none of the migrants would be allowed to enter the US. Many of the migrants have said they plan to apply for asylum at legal border crossings, which is allowed under US and international law.

Trump’s troop level was higher than estimates given by defense officials on Monday. Trump on Monday also gave a smaller number, saying about 5,200 soldiers would join 2,000 National Guard members who are already deployed at the border to boost security.

Trump denied that the troop deployment was an attempt to stoke fear ahead of next week’s midterm elections, a charge leveled by critics. He also blamed Democrats for allowing immigration to “get out of control.”

Trump’s decision to send active-duty military personnel breaks from past practice, which has often seen border security operations carried out by National Guard forces, who are mostly part-time military members.

Visit Knowhere News for more impartial news coverage.