11/20/2018

BORDER/DEFENSE/IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump has approved a memorandum that grants new authority to US troops on the Southwest border to protect Customs and Border Protection personnel from migrants if they engage in violence, according to the Pentagon. Department of Defense spokesperson Lt. Col. Michelle Baldanza confirmed to CNN that the Pentagon had received the memorandum. CNN first reported on Monday [11-19-18] that this was expected. The White House memo authorizes US troops to conduct activities such as ‘crowd control, temporary detention and cursory search’ according to a copy of the memorandum, which has been obtained by CNN. t allows troops to use ‘a show or use of force (including lethal force, where necessary)’ in order to perform these protective activities.”

Ryan Browne, Barbara Starr, Geneva Sands and Caroline Kelly, “Trump grants new authority to troops to protect border personnel,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, November 20, 2018 1:50 pm