President Trump Orders National Guard to Southern US Border

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump ordered the "immediate" deployment of the National Guard to the nation's southern border Wednesday. The troops will be used to combat illegal immigration, drugs and to keep the US - Mexico border safe.

"It's time to act," said Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. "The President is frustrated and he has been very clear that he wants to secure our border."

Nielsen on orders of the commander-in-chief will work with state governors to determine how many troops are needed and where.

"State by state, locale by locale," Nielsen said. "This is a partnership with the governors."

Nielsen made the announcement at the Wednesday's White House briefing following the president's tweet pledging "strong action."

Our Border Laws are very weak while those of Mexico & Canada are very strong. Congress must change these Obama era, and other, laws NOW! The Democrats stand in our way - they want people to pour into our country unchecked....CRIME! We will be taking strong action today.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 4, 2018

"This shouldn't come as a surprise. President Trump has been talking about securing the border for years," White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters. 

In the last decade, presidents have sent National Guard troops to the border, but Nielsen made clear that with this deployment the governors would be in command of their respective state guard troops.

"I don't want to get ahead of the governors," said Nielsen. "It will be strong, as many as needed to fill the gaps we have today."