On multiple occasions over the last year, Donald Trump has U.S. troops at the Southern border. Many people have wondered what exactly the troops would be doing along the border because by law, they are very limited as to what they can do. The military cannot act as a law enforcement inside the United States for reasons that should be abundantly clear. This is not a dictatorship and we have law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection.
So, what are U.S. troops doing along the border? The Department of Homeland Security has finally given lawmakers a memo outlining their role. CBS News got a copy of the memo and it turns out, U.S. troops are going to be spending the next month repainting a mile long section of fence "to improve the aesthetic appearance of the wall.”
"While the primary purpose is to improve the aesthetic appearance of the wall, there may also be an operational benefit based on our experience with painted barrier in Nogales, Arizona," the email read.
It’s stated clearly in the memo, the primary purpose of their work is to make the fence look nicer. The hardworking men and women of the military should not be used in such a way. It’s really an insult to them. They signed up to serve their country. None of them enlisted with the goal of spending a month painting a fence for a publicity stunt. It’s grossly inappropriate. There are other agencies responsible for the upkeep of that fencing.
Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas was also livid at the “mission” assigned to these troops.
Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, echoed Durbin's comments, calling the task detailed in the email a "gross misuse" of the military.
"These are soldiers, they are not painters," Castro told CBS News.