WITH JUST DAYS BEFORE THE U.S. MIDTERMS, TRUMP AMPED UP A CRACKDOWN ON MIGRANTS, SAYING U.S. SOLDIERS COULD FIRE ON THOSE WHO THROW STONES AT THEM. HE ALSO SUGGESTED DETENTION CENTRES ARE NEXT.
Suggests migrants could be shot
WASHINGTON • Donald Trump suggested Thursday that soldiers could fire on the migrant caravans through Mexico approaching the U.S. border if they throw rocks as he hardened his stance on immigration ahead of midterm elections.
During a live address from the White House, Trump declined to rule out the possibility of troops he has deployed at the border shooting at people crossing into the country illegally.
“They’ve overrun the Mexican police and they’ve overrun and hurt, badly, Mexican soldiers,” Trump said of socalled migrant “caravans” from Central America. “They want to throw rocks at our military? Our military fights back. I told them, ‘Consider it a rifle.” ’
The comment, one of the starkest to date about the caravans approaching America, increased fears that there could be clashes at the border.
Trump spoke from a podium in the White House for more than 20 minutes in an attempt to amplify his message over border security ahead of next Tuesday’s key vote.
The focus of his warnings has been migrant caravans — groups of people travelling through Central America in the hope of passing into the United States and securing a better life.
He said people apprehended entering the U.S. illegally would be held in tent cities on the border that he said are under construction by the military.
“We’re going to hold them right there,” he said. “We’re not letting them into our country.”
Trump didn’t directly answer a question about whether the children of migrants would again be separated from their parents if they cross the border.
“We’re working on a system where they’ll stay together,” Trump said.
Asked if the military would fire on the migrants, he said: “I hope there won’t be that.”
He said some of the migrants in the caravans threw stones at Mexican police and soldiers.
“We will consider that a firearm. Because there’s not much difference,” Trump said.
The first 100 or so active duty troops arrived at the border on Thursday, making initial assessment at the McAllen, Texas, crossing. Overall, there are about 2,600 troops at staging bases in the region.
There are at least four known caravans. The first left San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on Oct. 12, and is estimated to be made up of around 4,000 people.
A second, smaller caravan is 200 miles behind. A third band of about 500 from El Salvador has made it to Guatemala, and a fourth group of about 700 set out from the Salvadoran capital Wednesday.