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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNational Guard soldiers Trump sent to border are shoveling manure, changing flat tires: report
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/392582-national-guard-soldiers-trump-sent-to-border-are-shoveling-manureNational Guard soldiers Trump sent to border are shoveling manure, changing flat tires: report
By Morgan Gstalter - 06/15/18 08:18 PM EDT
The National Guard troops that President Trump sent to the U.S.Mexico border in April are performing menial tasks to assist U.S. Border Patrol.
The soldier, first reported by Politico on Thursday, said they have been feeding Border Patrol's horses and shoveling manure.
Sgt. Jonathan Sanchez, a cook, told the outlet that he often does maintenance on Border Patrols vehicles.
We fix flats, Sanchez said.
Other tasks include clearing out vegetation, repairing Border Patrol facilities, working as office clerks or operating a complex network of security and remote camera systems.
Most have never run a surveillance system like this, Staff Sgt. Thomas Cider told Politico.
Trump signed an executive memorandum in April directing Defense Secretary James Mattis to bolster the Department of Homeland Securitys effort to combat a drastic surge of illegal activity on the southern border.
In May, the Pentagon approved an additional request from DHS to send more than 700 National Guard troops to assist Border Patrol. They joined the 1,100 members already stationed along the Southern border.
Mattis approved as many as 4,000 troops to be deployed to the border, none of which are armed.
According to Politico, the troops are kept at a safer distance than previous troops.
National Guard troops are not permitted to patrol or participate in detainment operations for migrants crossing the border in order to keep them safe, officials told the outlet.
Late last month, the president of the labor union representing Border Patrol agents criticized Trump's deployment, calling it a colossal waste of resources.
Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, said last month that they have seen no benefit from the National Guard presence.
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National Guard soldiers Trump sent to border are shoveling manure, changing flat tires: report (Original Post)
babylonsister
Jun 2018
OP
C_U_L8R
(45,003 posts)1. They ought to be rescuing children
from government-sponsored concentration camps.
bluecollar2
(3,622 posts)2. The Border Patrol endorsed
Trumps deployment of the guard to the border.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)3. Trump finds out, he'll order them to shoot some children. Or he'll send in 3%ers or Klan.
Lee-Lee
(6,324 posts)4. Thats what I predicted when it was propsoed
Since NG cant actually arrest folks, the biggest role for them will be taking over tasks that BP agents would have done to free them up for other work. And to take over tasks non-LE BP agents would have done to free up payroll money for them to hire more agents or existing ones to have more overtime.