Should active duty military be used to secure the borders and ensure the safety of our nation?

Seems to be more of a National Guard mission to me personally.

The US Military is very capable of defending US borders. The question becomes one of law, mission, training and will. The first three can be handled without too much trouble, if the fourth (will) is in favor of actually securing the borders. It will take a President and Congress willing to recognize the influx of illegal aliens entering the US as an invasion--a clear and present danger to the nation. Too many politicians see illegals as potential voters right now.

The DOD knows how to secure a geographical area. The DOD has studied this mission in the past. In the 1980s we determined it would take several Army Divisions, Air Force Squadrons, and Navy and Coast Guard ships to do the job on the Southern border. The concern then was drugs more than illegal people entering the US. These wouldn't be force deployments, but repositioning and re-missioning of forces currently garrisoned in the US. Technology has improved, so the surveillance part of the mission may take fewer people today, but the enforcement part--catching the invaders--is still manpower intensive.

We must make potential illegal border crossers believe it is too hard and too expensive to cross the border and the flow will greatly decrease or stop. As pointed out earlier in this string, the use of deadly force is a major problem. The rules of engagement for US military personnel are very important. We don't want to indiscriminately shoot people crossing the border when we could capture them and return them. However, the military personnel must have the right to defend themselves. We also have to accept that there will be unfortunate instances of the excessive use of force and be ready to deal with them appropriately. Passive border protection means can be effective in stopping the "invasion." Fences, sensors, satellites, drones, etc., can be used to detect and possibly deter the invaders. Strategic communication to the populations in Central and South America can also help stem the flow. Would-be illegals must believe they will face great physical difficulty in crossing the border, and if they do make it across capture or death may result (we don't actually have to kill them, just make them think we would).

Finally, we have to effectively remove the factors that draw people to enter the US illegally (includes overstaying visa). Note that very few West Berliners tried to "escape" into East Berlin while many East Berliners risked their lives to escape to the West. We need to aggressively seek and capture illegal aliens and deport them at every opportunity in a very public way. The laws preventing hiring of illegals need to be enforced. We need to prevent illegals from getting Government hand outs, welfare, Medicade, etc., in a serious and effective way. And, we need to absolutely block any path to citizenship to those who are in the US illegally. If the incentive of a better life, good job and Government freebies is removed, the flow of illegals will greatly decrease making border enforcement easier.

I voted no, though it's really a two part answer. The US military should defend the border when there is a threat from a foreign military or equally dangerous adversary. The US military should not be used to catch illegal immigrants, drug smugglers, and other activities that are criminal in nature... that is what we have law enforcement and other government agencies for. There are plenty of agencies better equipped to catch terrorists in the US as well... we don't need the active duty military doing that.

The military should be used to seek out the enemy and destroy it... not to sit on a fence in the United States... in my personal opinion.

I spent 6 months recently securing the borders in south Texas for the Texas NG. I will tell you that our borders are completely porous. The cartels control the Mexican side and much of the American side. The Drugs come through by the ton. DPS told me that they catch about 10% of what comes through. IMO, I believe that having NG troops work the border 24/7 is cheaper than paying the billions of dollars yearly for everything associated with illegal aliens including crime, prison, public defenders, medical care, welfare, etc.. And by the way, I really thinks it's funny when people say they don't want the border militarized....I would see Mexican Marines or police in full battle rattle all the time.

Only if we are going to get serious about enforcing ALL the immigration laws currently on the books.

Definitely not, our active duty military should not be conducting any operation on U.S. soil unless it is to defend against an armed invasion. Illegal immigrants, however great the numbers, is not an armed invasion. Illegal immigration is a law enforcement issue. Worst case the national guard could help in extreme circumstances. The Posse Comitatus Act specifically limits the federal governments ability to use federal troops in domestic law enforcement. However it does not apply to the National Guard. It's a slippery slope when the federal government is allowed to use the military as a police force.

The US Navy and Air Force participate in daily patrols to maintain the sovereignty of the United States. Why shouldn't the Army as well?

However, there is a vast difference between prosecuting war and prosecuting criminals. One is the purview of the military and the other is the purview of the police. For the military to "secure the borders" against incursions by illegal aliens, they would require training and equipment appropriate to policemen. Sadly, equipping the police like soldiers makes me feel like a Christian Scientist with appendicitis. I wonder if soldiers functioning as police would be any better. (And, yes, I will admit that there are military policemen and the Coast Guard performs both as a military and a police force. However, do they do both jobs equally well or does the dichotomy distract from doing either as well as if they focused on one or the other?)

Ultimately, it seems to me to be futile to argue over which agency should secure our borders without first establishing the will to secure them. That seems largely absent, especially in the District of Calamity.

As long as they are actually carrying with a mag in and round chambered! And no ignorent ROEs...or firing on AMERICAN citizens.

I am an Immigrant! I arrived in this the, Greatest Nation/Country the world has ever known in February 1961. I was 18 years old. Before I was allowed to enter the Us. I had to undergo a complete Physical Examination, I also head Background Investigation, since I still had all my relatives behind the Iron Curtain from where I escaped as a 14 year old, alone, in November1956. On top of that I needed a Sponsor, that turned out to be a Hungarian Community/Catholic Church, in Youngstown, OH. The Sponsor/s, had to sign a document, that stated; 'This person will never become a Ward of the State!' I consider the titles, like; 'Illegal Immigrant' or 'Undocumented Immigrant' just ORWELLIAN Double Speak! No such Creature! You are either an IMMIGRANT, one who fulfilled the requirements laid down by the LAW of the Land, or you are an, "ILLEGAL ALIEN", as such you must be deported!!

There are at least a couple of us on here who have been sent to the border to "assist" the BP. It was a joke. We may as well stand there with banners saying "Bienvenido!"

The US won't take the radical steps needed to halt illegal immigration. We would have to completely de-fund every public program assisting illegals, impose outrageous fines on every entity, public or private who abets illegals through employment or housing.
We would have to seal the border completely, using freed funds to militarize it, with orders to shoot on sight.

Sounds easy in theory, but it isn't workable.