Exclusive: Trump weighs authorising U.S. troops to medically screen migrants

[webfact]

Exclusive: Trump weighs authorising U.S. troops to medically screen migrants

By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart

 

United States Marines fortify concertina wire along the San Ysidro Port of Entry border crossing as seen from Tijuana, Mexico November 20, 2018. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration is considering giving U.S. troops on the border with Mexico the authority to carry out medical screening of migrants, U.S. officials told Reuters on Tuesday.

 

The proposal, which is still in draft form and circulating within the administration, would involve the military in screenings for things like illness and injury only if U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency personnel were overwhelmed and unable to do so on their own, the officials said.

 

The proposal would expand the mission for the Pentagon, which said previously it did not expect its forces to directly interact with migrants.

 

The Pentagon declined to comment on internal deliberations. In a statement, it said the operation would cost about $72 million (56.3 million pounds) through Dec. 15, based on current plans.

 

U.S. military duties on the border, including stringing up concertina wire and building temporary housing, have been aimed at supporting CBP personnel.

 

The U.S. officials who spoke to Reuters about the proposal did so on condition of anonymity because Trump has not yet signed off on the idea.

 

It was unclear if the proposal, if confirmed in the coming days, might prolong the deployment of at least some troops at the border.

The commander of the mission told Reuters last week that the number of troops may have peaked at around 5,800, and he would soon look at whether to begin sending forces home or shifting some to new border positions.

 

LAST RESORT

Trump, who won the presidency in 2016 after a campaign promising to crack down on illegal immigration, has seized upon migrant caravans headed towards the U.S. border, comparing it to an "invasion."

 

Critics have derided his position as a stunt that politicizes the military.

 

About 6,000 Central Americans have reached the Mexican border cities of Tijuana and Mexicali, according to local officials. More bands of migrants are making their way towards Tijuana, with around 10,000 expected.

 

In Tijuana and other ports of entry, CBP officers are trained to check migrants and travellers for obvious signs of infectious conditions, like fever, bleeding from the eyes or other symptoms of "quarantinable and communicable diseases," according to a 2015 report by the Congressional Research Service.

 

One U.S. official said that under the latest proposal, U.S. troops would carry out medical screenings only if other officials, such as from state and local governments or the National Guard, were not available or overwhelmed.

 

"The intent of the authorities is not to bring the troops in closer contact with the migrants but to provide medical assistance if needed," the official said.

 

On Monday, Reuters reported that Trump was likely to give U.S. troops authority to protect immigration agents stationed along the U.S. border with Mexico if they come under threat from migrants seeking to cross into the United States.

 

(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by Peter Cooney, Bill Berkrot and Lisa Shumaker)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-21

[YetAnother]

55 minutes ago, webfact said:

are trained to check migrants and travellers

only way they can get in is they look Exactly like donald trump

[Chomper Higgot]

Keep in mind it was a Navy doctor that signed off on the medical report Trump wrote for himself.

 

 

[Lupatria]

Edited November 21, 2018 by Lupatria

[mikebike]

And hours later he pulls them from the border... as the "invasion" actually arrives. None of the troops will b home for thanksgiving. Many not even home for Xmas... nice stunt 45. Way to show respect to the military.

[Basil B]

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Keep in mind it was a Navy doctor that signed off on the medical report Trump wrote for himself.

 

 

And a Rear Admiral (lower half) to boot. 

 

But there again it is only a physical examination...

[mtls2005]

Trump's having fun with his "toy soldiers".

 

 

[Basil B]

Trumps latest idea is to remove China from the WTO... this guy should "engage brain before opening trap" the WTO is an international organisation to which the US has no more say about who is and not a member than any of the other 123 members.

 

We at least if he decides to exclude Russia from the UN he can block their access to the UN buildings.

Edited November 21, 2018 by Basil B

[Silurian]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

Exclusive: Trump weighs authorising U.S. troops to medically screen migrants

 

So, going to teach U.S. troops on how to ask migrants to "turn your head and cough'?

 

Edited November 21, 2018 by Silurian

[Prissana Pescud]

10 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Keep in mind it was a Navy doctor that signed off on the medical report Trump wrote for himself.

 

 

Keep in mind that Cadet Trump suddenly developed "spur heels" when he may have become eligible for military service in Sth Vietnam. This condition disappeared when the US dumped Vietnam to its own fate in 1975. Money and influence talks even with the high standards that the US military sets itself. 

[Scott]

Troll post and replies removed.  

[dcutman]

1 hour ago, Scott said:

Troll post and replies removed.  

Seems every one of the are either troll posts or off topic. Or just plain ridiculous.

[sirineou]

16 hours ago, mikebike said:

And hours later he pulls them from the border... as the "invasion" actually arrives. None of the troops will b home for thanksgiving. Many not even home for Xmas... nice stunt 45. Way to show respect to the military.

Yesterday or the day before, he was asked in a Fox news  interview 

"WALLACE: But here’s the question, you’re back in Washington on Monday, Veterans Day, why don’t you go across the river to Arlington for that ceremony? Barack Obama went every year he was here in D.C.

TRUMP: I should have done that. I was extremely busy on calls for the country, we did a lot of calling, as you know – "

 

"WALLACE: Why haven’t you visited our troops serving in war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan in the two years you’ve been in office as Commander-in-Chief?

TRUMP: Well, I think you will see that happen. There are things that are being planned. We don’t want to talk about it because of -- obviously because of security reasons and everything else. "

He was" very busy on calls for the country" said the man who has spend 25% of his presidency playing golf. 

and the day after he said he was very busy  he left for his golf course.  Too busy to visit Arlington cemetery , or troops in Afghanistan but not busy enough to play golf.

DISGRACEFUL!!

[Scott]

A comment on moderation has been removed.   Please stay on topic.  

 

[mtls2005]

5 hours ago, sirineou said:

Yesterday or the day before, he was asked in a Fox news  interview 

 

Yes, the Chris Wallace interview was "insightful", or as others have called it, a dumpster fire, on a train wreck, on the deck of the Titanic, awaiting launch on the Challenger. Can't imagine any Trump supporters could watch that interview, sober.

 

Trump on his decision-making process, which one assumes he used to arrive at a decision to send troops to the Southern border...