So What Happens When the "Caravan of Migrants' Reaches the Rio Grande

That caravan of Central American migrants is inching closer to Texas, and when they get here, they'll be met by the military, Newsradio 1200 WOAI reports.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis wants to send at least 800 U.S. troops to South Texas, where they'll provide logistical support for the Border Patrol.  

Congressman Will Hurd (R-Helotes) says the plan has the backing of the men and women who work to secure his district, which has the longest stretch of border.

"Most of them, in the conversations I've had, have said they have a tough job, and they appreciate an extra pair of hands."

But Congressman Hurd says it should not have to be this way, pointing to some 2,000 job openings in the Border Patrol that are going unfilled.

"There are retention issues within Border Patrol that's preventing us from swelling the ranks to what it should be to gain operational control of our border."

The 800 troops should be in place by next week, where they'll join some 2,100 National Guardsmen, who are already in Texas.

That caravan, which some say is now over 10,000 migrants strong, crossed into southern Mexico earlier this week from Guatemala.  They were about 1,100 miles from the U.S. border, and on a direct route to Brownsville, Texas.

President Trump has taken to social media to criticize both the caravan and the countries of Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, who have allowed them to march on.

"They will be stopped!" Trump said Thursday on Twitter.

IMAGE: GETTY


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