Trump sends soldiers to Mexico border: aim to stop illegal immigration

President orders massive military deployment: criticism and tensions rise as Ku Klux Klan spreads racist leaflets in Kentucky

Just days before taking office, Donald Trump tightens control at the border with Mexico, kicking off a controversial militarisation plan.

Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of around 1,500 soldiers to the southern US border, a first step towards the total deployment of 10,000 military personnel. The decision, confirmed by White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, is part of an executive order signed by the new president to strengthen the fight against illegal immigration. Currently, 2,200 military personnel are already present at the border as part of Joint Task Force-North, but the new contingent will significantly increase the armed presence in the region.

According to the Washington Post, the troops will provide support to Border Patrol operations, with tasks that include intelligence, threat assessment and monitoring migration flows. The use of air assets to facilitate operations is also planned. However, they will not have policing functions: they will not be able to make arrests or seizures, but will assist in the transportation of migrants.

The military deployment will be progressive, increasing in the coming weeks and months. The measure is accompanied by a first immigration crackdown, approved by the US House, which expands detention cases for undocumented migrants accused of petty crimes.

Racist tensions: Ku Klux Klan leaflets in Kentucky

The tightening of immigration policies seems to have fuelled episodes of intolerance. In Kentucky, the Ku Klux Klan distributed leaflets explicitly calling on migrants to ‘leave now’. The flyers, reported to the local police, show a cartoon with Uncle Sam kicking a migrant family and a proclamation with the phrase ‘mass deportations’ and the date 20 January, the day of Trump’s inauguration.

According to reports in the Washington Post, the flyers bear the Klan’s regional contacts in neighbouring states, such as Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee. Bellevue Police Chief Jon McClain said: ‘This is alarming for our community. We believe the distribution is not a coincidence, given the coincidence with the presidential inauguration.’ Local authorities have launched an investigation to identify those responsible and charge them with inciting hatred.

Criticism and fears

Trump’s decision and related incidents are fuelling a climate of growing division in the United States. On the one hand, supporters of the president applaud the immigration crackdown as a necessity to ensure security and border control. On the other, civil rights organisations denounce an escalation of racist tensions and the risk of human rights violations, especially for the most vulnerable migrants.

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