The Department of Homeland Security admitted that the administration is looking into building military installations at the border after Trump announced he would be sending the military down to help with border security.
Watch below:
Q: Does the president have authority to use money congress appropriated to the DoD to build border wall?
DHS Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen: “We’re looking into options for the military to build wall on military installations on the border. Other than that, I can’t speak to the legality” pic.twitter.com/n3eg2SXbT4
— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 4, 2018
The question was whether Trump has the authority to build a wall with the military. DHS Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen responds that there ARE some options that would be under the jurisdiction of the military.
But notice that she sidesteps the issue of the legality of the policy:
“What [Trump] meant is there are some lands that the Defense Department owns right on the border where we see illicit activity,” Nielsen explained during a briefing with reporters at the White House.
“We’re looking into options for the military to build wall or military installations on the border,” she added.
The idea of working with military officials to construct a barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border comes as Trump plans to deploy National Guard troops to the border to assist immigration enforcement officials.
So it’s very interesting, and I’m sure our libertarian friends would have a lot to say about this and then force us all to google “posse comitatus.” In any case, I’m sure this will be a limited action, if it happens at all.
[Oops! I accidentally said State Department when I meant Homeland Security. My apologies.]