Trump backtracks on suggestion U.S.
troops could fire on migrants
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[November 03, 2018]
By Makini Brice and Roberta Rampton
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald
Trump on Friday backtracked from his suggestion a day earlier that
American troops sent to the U.S. border with Mexico would be free to
fire on migrants who throw rocks at them, saying that rock-throwers
would only be arrested.
"They won't have to fire. What I don't want is I don't want these people
throwing rocks," Trump told reporters outside the White House. "If they
do that with us, they're going to be arrested for a long time."
Trump's rhetoric on shooting migrants drew criticism from human rights
groups that said he was stoking fear ahead of next week's congressional
elections. Calling migrants a national security threat "is as absurd as
it is cruel," advocacy group Human Rights First said in a statement.
In his comments, Trump suggested the military could fire on migrants who
cross the border illegally if they throw rocks at troops.

"They want to throw rocks at our military, our military fights back. ...
I told them to consider it a rifle. When they throw rocks like they did
at the Mexico military police, I say: Consider it a rifle," Trump said.
The Nigerian army on Friday used Trump's remarks to justify opening fire
at Shi'ite Muslim protesters earlier in the week. Authorities have
reported only a few killed but a Shi'ite group said the toll was more
than 40.
After Trump's remarks on Thursday saying stone-throwers should be
treated as if they were carrying rifles, the Nigerian Army posted a note
on Twitter with a video of Trump's remarks, adding: "Please Watch and
Make your Deductions."
The U.S. president has hardened his stance on immigration in a bid to
rouse his political base ahead of the elections. His Republican party is
in an uphill fight to maintain control of the House of Representatives
on Tuesday, although it is expected to pick up seats in the Senate.
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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before departing on a
campaign trip on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington,
U.S., November 2, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

The Pentagon said on Monday it was deploying more than 5,200 troops
to the border at Trump's direction to confront a caravan of men,
women and children traveling through Mexico as they flee violence
and poverty in Central America. Trump has characterized it as an
"invasion" of migrants.
Mexico has said 2,800 to 3,000 people are in the caravan, which left
Honduras in mid-October, although many are expected to drop off
before reaching the U.S. border.
Trump also said on Thursday his administration was finalizing a plan
to block immigrants who do not come into the United States at a
legal port of entry from applying for asylum, although federal law
allows any immigrant in the United States to do so.
Still, migrant caravans have pressed on. On Friday, a smaller
caravan from El Salvador crossed through a river to enter the
Mexico's southern state of Chiapas.
(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; additional reporting by Carlos Garcia
Rawlins in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, and Paul Carsten in Nigeria;
Writing by Makini Brice and David Alexander; editing by Dan Grebler,
James Dalgleish and David Gregorio)
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