Pentagon To Start Bringing Troops Back From US-Mexico Border This Week - Reports

Fakhir Rizvi Published November 20, 2018 | 03:15 AM

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th November, 2018) The US Department of Defense will begin sending back this week military troops deployed at the US-Mexico border, according to media reports.

The Defense Department said it plans to complete the withdrawal of all 5,800 troops from the US southern border by Christmas, Politico reported on Monday citing US Army Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan.

President Donald Trump ordered the US military to deploy troops at the border with Mexico as a caravan of migrants from Central America tried to reach the United States to seek asylum.

Trump issued the order before the midterm elections reaffirming his administration's though policy on illegal immigration.

The report said the Defense Department will not leave the troops to support the Customs and Border Patrol agents in case of a violent clash with members of the migrant caravan.

Earlier on Monday, US immigration officials suspended all northbound traffic on the US-Mexico border crossing in California to install additional security barriers to prepare for numerous migrants arriving at the border.