SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- The migrant caravan is still over a thousand miles away but troops are getting ready to deploy to the San Diego Tijuana border.
Locally, Border Patrol says they can’t answer any questions about the increased military presence, only that they are monitoring the situation. They referred all 10News questions to the Department of Defense.
A customs spokesperson released the following statement:
“CBP is currently monitoring the situation regarding the caravan migrating from Central America toward the U.S. border. We continually assess the capabilities of our facilities throughout the Southwest border and have been making - and will continue to make - necessary preparations. These include participating in operational readiness exercises and the mobilization of resources as needed to ensure the facilitation of lawful trade and travel.”“Additionally, we will be reinforcing staffing, well in advance, to ensure that we can address any contingency, with support from interagency partners. Regardless of the operational contingencies we may face, please know this: we will ensure border security – we will not allow a large group to enter the US unlawfully; we will act in accordance with the highest principles of law enforcement; and we will treat intending migrants humanely and professionally at all times. CBP’s highest priority is the safety and security of the American people, the traveling public, CBP personnel and the communities in which we serve.”
ABC news has learned hundreds of troops are deploying to bases in Texas, Arizona, and California. Their arrival will be phased out by state, California is the last.
The troops locally will have staging areas at Camp Pendleton Miramar, then be deployed to wherever they are needed along the border.
According to Defense Department planning documents obtained by ABC News, the troops are moving by the end of the week.
Meanwhile, groups traveling with the caravan in Mexico tell 10News the migrants say their goal is still to come to Tijuana.
They say the migrants are now more spread out throughout Mexico, with estimates of how many are traveling ranging from 3,500 to as high as 10,000.
Those in Tijuana say the shelters are already full, from the constant flow of migrants who come to seek asylum on a regular basis.
They say it will be chaotic if thousands more arrive from the new caravan.
The military operation is scheduled to last until December 15th but it’s still unclear if the caravan would arrive at the border by that time.
