Trump Has No ‘Sustainable Solutions’ for Migrant Crisis: US Analyst

“President Trump has no long-term sustainable solutions. In fact, most of the extreme Trump proposals all come from Stephan Miller who gives every indication he (is) lashing out based on his bad experiences with persons of color while in High School,” Rodney Martin, a former congressional staffer based in Los Angeles, told Tasnim.

Following is the full text of the interview.

Tasnim: As you know, US President Donald Trump has authorized troops on the Southwest border with Mexico to use lethal force in order to protect Customs and Border Protection personnel from incoming migrants, according to the Pentagon. On Tuesday, senior Border Patrol and Homeland Security officials said authorities used excessive force when they lobbed tear gas into Mexico, targeting crowds of migrants, including women and children, who rushed the border fence. What does Trump’s “lethal force” authorization mean at the border?

Martin: First, it is important to note, the deployment of US Troops on the US/Mexico Border is not new, President Wilson in 1910 sent General Pershing and the US Army to the border and actually incurred into Mexico.

In 1989 General Colin Powell created a special Task Force that included US Troops on the Border to aid in the "War on Drugs" during the Administration of George H.W. Bush. Interestingly, this Task Force remains active and operates out of Ft. Bliss and according to the Pentagon has seized $15 Billion in illegal drugs.

From 2006-2008 President George W. Bush deployed US Troops to the Border under Operation Jump Start with the mission to assist in further Drug Enforcement efforts. Two years later President Barrack Obama ordered US Troops to the Border under Operation Phalanx for Drug Enforcement efforts.

It is important to understand that the Posse Comitatus Act restricts the use of US Military Troops for domestic policies. This was indeed tested during the Administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. President Eisenhower's Attorney General Herbert Brownell, a man I personally met and had conversations with prior to his passing, spearheaded what was called "Operation Wetback" which was a mass deportation effort and sought to use US Troops in the effort, this was specifically denied by the Defense Department citing the Posse Comitatus Act.

As with inability of Eisenhower Administration to use US Troops for "Immigration" enforcement the Trump Administration also is restricted by the Posse Comitatus Act in any effort to use US Troops for any domestic policy or enforcement. US Troops deployed on the Border are limited to supporting US Border Patrol and other domestic Agencies charged with Border enforcement.

As to the use of "lethal force", for the most part this is political hyperbole on the part of President Trump aimed at ginning up the emotions of his political base. Obviously if in the course of their support activities, if any US Soldier comes under real and direct physical attack or threat, they may protect themselves. It should be noted it was NOT US Troops firing tear gas in the recent engagements along the US/Mexico Border, but rather Border Patrol Agents.

I do not envision US Troops engaging in any such operations as the Defense Department has a history going back to the Eisenhower Administration of refusing such efforts.

Tasnim: For weeks, President Trump has been making the case that the migrant caravan poses an immediate and serious danger to the United States. Do you believe so?

Marin: President Trump makes such statements to keep emotions running high within his political base, this is not constructive.

Overall, every country must have real Immigration Policies that provide for the vetting of all those seeking to enter its Borders. Even liberal Canada has stringent policies.

A major problem in the USA is suffering blowback from over a century of military & economic imperialism, which is manifesting itself in the form of Migration, i.e. the US has harvested resources from a great many countries, often leaving a wasteland behind, now the people are following the resources. Who can blame them?

The USA is undergoing a "Change" for the 2nd time in 50 years, like the Civil Rights Era in the 60's many Americans will have to decide if they want to "fight the change" or embrace it and be a positive part of it. Trump represents those who are vowing to go down fighting.

Tasnim: Don’t you think that the migrant situation near Tijuana undercuts Trump’s proposed solutions?

Martin: President Trump has no long-term sustainable solutions. In fact, most of the extreme Trump proposals all come from Stephan Miller who gives every indication he (is) lashing out based on his bad experiences with persons of color while in High School.

A real leader would recognize that the Migration crisis on the US/Mexico Border should mandate a closer working relationship with Mexico. The migration issue is taxing Mexico as well. It should be noted that Mexico has offered most of the migrants asylum, the US should assist Mexico in those efforts if it does not want to grant asylum itself.

Tasnim: A number of human rights organizations have slammed the move by the Trump administration. However, the international community has still remained silent in the face of the use of “lethal force” against men, women, and kids at the border. How could the world help stop this violence?

Martin: This is not surprising, obviously Israel cannot condemn "lethal force", given its horrendous record.

I suspect the real reason the international community is silent is because of fear of retaliation by the US in the form of economic terrorism also known as Sanctions. The US has a history of imposing its will either by military or by economics, i.e. by brute force or by starvation.

The international community today wants to stay clear of the "bully".