President Trump to Send Military to Guard US-Mexico Border

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump took many reporters by surprise Tuesday when he stated, "We are going to be doing things militarily," adding that it would be a "big step" when dealing with the US-Mexico border wall.

Trump said he has spoken to Defense Secretary James Mattis about the US military being used to police the southern border. 

"Until we can have a wall with proper security, we are going to be guarding our border with our military," he said at the White House, expressing dismay at a caravan of migrants making their way from Honduras to the US border.

The president first began tweeting on Sunday about the "caravan" of nearly 1,000 undocumented asylum-seekers following a Fox News report that used the term.

President Trump applauded Mexican authorities for breaking up large portions of the caravan as it moved through Mexico.

"They have very strong immigration laws, as we should have," he said, adding the caravan situation "makes me very sad."

"It's sad for the people in the caravan and it's sad for the people in the United States," he stated.

This is not the first time a president has wanted to put troops on the border. 

President Barack Obama sent hundreds of soldiers to guard the boundary, while President George W. Bush deployed thousands of troops to help Border Patrol in what was called Operation Jump Start.