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US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation directing the National Guard to be deployed "immediately" to the US-Mexico border to combat illegal border crossings.
Troops could begin heading to the border within hours.
In a memorandum on Wednesday (local time) to his secretaries of defence and homeland security and his attorney-general, Mr Trump said the "situation at the border has now reached a point of crisis".
The document orders the secretary of defence to support the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in securing the southern border to stop the flow of drugs and people.
And it orders the agency heads to submit a report within 30 days outlining what other steps can be taken.
The order follows an earlier tweet on Tuesday by Mr Trump, saying the US border laws are "very weak while those of Mexico and Canada are very strong", and that he would be taking "strong action today".
No choice but to act, Trump says
Mr Trump says that "lawlessness" at the southern border is "fundamentally incompatible with the safety, security, and sovereignty of the American people".
And he says his administration "has no choice but to act".
The Trump administration says it is working with governors to "immediately" deploy the National Guard to combat illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border.
In a video posted on his Twitter account on Tuesday, Mr Trump said there are "horrible, horrible and very unsafe laws in the United States and we are going to be able to do something about that hopefully soon".
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said the DHS and the Pentagon would be working closely with governors in the affected states.
She said deployment would be handled as expeditiously as possible and that troops could begin heading to the border on Wednesday night (local time), although other administration officials cautioned details on troop levels, locations and timing were still being worked out.
Mr Trump announced his plan to send the military to the border during a meeting with Baltic leaders on Tuesday.
Mr Trump has been frustrated by slow action on building his "big, beautiful wall" along the Mexican border — the signature promise of his campaign — as well as a recent uptick in illegal border crossings.
Bush and Obama both sent troops to border
US federal law prohibits the use of active service members for law enforcement inside the US, unless specifically authorised by Congress.
But over the past 12 years, presidents have twice sent National Guard troops to the US-Mexico border to bolster security and assist with surveillance.
Ms Nielsen said the effort would be similar to a 2006 operation in which former president George W Bush deployed troops to help with non-law enforcement duties while extra border agents were hired and trained.
Former president Barack Obama also sent about 1,200 troops in 2010 to beef up efforts against drug smuggling and illegal immigration.
Ms Nielsen said her department had a list of locations where it would like help with aerial surveillance and other duties.
She declined to say how many personnel would be needed or how much it would cost.
"It will be as many as is needed to fill the gaps that we have today," she said.
One congressional aide said lawmakers anticipated 300 to 1,200 troops would be deployed and that the cost was expected to be at least $US60 million ($78 million) to $US120 million ($156 million) a year.
Mexican senators urge action against US
Governors of the four US states bordering Mexico were largely supportive of the move.
California Governor Jerry Brown, a Democrat who has sparred with Mr Trump on immigration issues, said any federal request would be reviewed to determine how the state could best be of assistance.
But in Mexico, senators urged President Enrique Pena Nieto to temporarily suspend cooperation with the US on immigration and security issues.
The senators asked Mexico's Government on Wednesday to freeze joint efforts, "in the fight against transnational organised crime" until Mr Trump started acting, "with the civility and respect that the people of Mexico deserve".
AP
Topics: immigration, world-politics, donald-trump, united-states
First posted