U.S. Spending $72 Million For Troops To Do Nothing At The Border
Source: Think Progress
Thousands of troops will miss Thanksgiving thanks to Donald Trump's xenophobic theatrics.
For reasons still unclear, President Trump has stationed nearly 6,000 troops at the southern border. This political stunt, the Pentagon now reports, will cost U.S. taxpayers $72 million. Combined with the $138 million spent on the 2,100 National Guard troops that have been deployed there since April, that brings the total cost of securing the border this year to $210 million.
In the lead-up to the election, Trump insisted that the caravan of migrants traveling to the United States from Central America constituted some sort of invasion. Though the group of refugees fleeing violence and persecution bear all the attributes of a humanitarian crisis, Trump repeatedly insisted without evidence that the caravan was full of violent criminals and even terrorists.
To double down on his bluff, Trump deployed 5,000 active duty military personnel to the border weeks before the midterm elections, though that figure ended up topping out at about 5,900 troops.
The exact purpose of their deployment remains a mystery, one to which Democrats in Congress are demanding answers. -MORE...
Read more: https://thinkprogress.org/border-troops-stunt-to-cost-72-million-a97fe1625341/
The misuse of active duty personnel such as this was viewed as stunt intended to stoke fears and to motivate Republican voters. The law actually prevents active duty personnel from arresting, detaining, deporting, or otherwise policing any migrants on US soil, so theyre only providing auxiliary support to authorized border agents.
A new Military Times report on Wednesday stated that the White House has still authorized military personnel to use force lethal, if necessary against caravan members, in clear violation of federal law.
Turbineguy
(37,365 posts)spent on the election. Sounds like something they should bill to the RNC instead.
JI7
(89,264 posts)they would be at home and able to spend time with family until .............................
SeattleVet
(5,479 posts)It goes into a lot of discussion about the may ways that this violates the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/11/21/white-house-approves-use-of-force-some-law-enforcement-roles-for-border-troops/
samnsara
(17,635 posts)Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)Give me a break with their "conservative" bullshit as they throw our money away on freaking theater of the absurd.
I'll bet the republican's russian buddies love seeing them waste our military budget.
politicaljunkie41910
(3,335 posts)Scarsdale
(9,426 posts)Chickenfeed compared to how much the tRump crime family has cost the country since HE took office. Maleria staying in NY, lots of security and cash. The "boys" business trips and hunting expeditions? More taxpayer $$$. Ivanka's trips overseas to get patents in various countries? Lots more $$$. The treasury is used as their piggy bank. Piggy being the operative word. How much did the naked "Forst Laydee" spend in hotels for one day in Canada and Egypt? More than a family of 4 would spend for a two week vacation, that's how much. This fiasco has gone on for too damn long. Time to bring it to a screeching halt, before they bankrupt the entire country the way they have with their businessess.