Up to 10,000 troops could be sent to the US-Mexico border after US President Donald Trump said he would crack down on illegal immigration.
The US military is preparing to send about 1,500 more soldiers to the border with Mexico where they will install barriers and carry out other border missions.
Meanwhile, they are expected to join around 2,200 active-duty soldiers, members of the National Guard, who are already deployed at the border.
His January 20 executive order directs the Pentagon to send as many forces as necessary to have full operational control of the southern border of the United States. On the other hand, the House of Representatives finally approved a bill that provides for the detention by authorities of undocumented immigrants accused of various crimes.
This could be the first law that President Donald Trump can sign, while Congress, with bipartisan support, is rapidly advancing in line with Trump's plans to crack down on illegal immigration.
Immigration policy has often been one of the most debated issues in Congress, but 46 Democrats joined Republicans in passing the bill by a vote of 263 to 156. The bill would require increased capacity for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agencies, but it does not provide for any new funding.
The vast majority of Americans are in favor of deporting immigrants convicted of violent crimes, according to a recent poll conducted by the Center for Public Affairs Research and the Associated Press.