| Migrants, part of a caravan traveling to the US, rest after crossing the Suchiate river, a natural border between Guatemala and Mexico |
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States could send as many as 15,000 military troops to the border with Mexico, as he hardens his stance against a caravan of migrants fleeing violence and poverty in Central America.
The Pentagon earlier has said it has identified about 7,000 active-duty troops, including about 2,000 on standby, that could be deployed to the southern border.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the number was an initial estimate and could change.
“The total number of troops deployed will change each day as military forces flow into the operating area, but initial estimates indicate the Department of Defense has identified approximately 7,000 troops to support, if required, Operation Faithful Patriot,” the official said.
The official said about 2,000 of the 7,000 would be on standby in case they were required.
On Tuesday, the top US general overseeing a deployment of more than 5,200 troops to the border with Mexico said troop levels would rise further, but declined to say how high or estimate what the operation will cost.
Many basic questions remained unanswered days after the Pentagon announced the open-ended deployment of over 5,200 active-duty troops to the border, including the scope of the mission as well as the Pentagon’s assessment of any threat posed by arriving migrants.
President Donald Trump has hardened his stance on immigration ahead of the Nov. 6 congressional elections. He has drawn attention to a caravan of migrants headed through Mexico toward the United States as he seeks to fire up support for Republican candidates ahead of hotly contested midterm elections for the US House of Representatives and the Senate.