McCain wants military to help secure border with Mexico

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Tuesday called for military assistance in securing the southern border and combating drug trafficking.

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, McCain called for military unmanned aerial vehicles to be used along the Mexican border for surveillance, noting that the Department of Defense (DOD) can assist civilian law enforcement if a request is made by an official overseeing the law enforcement agency.

{mosads}”It is my understanding that you have made no such request to DOD,” McCain wrote. “If true, I strongly urge that you make this request for support to the DOD immediately and begin coordinating with Ft. Huachuca to take advantage of these available air assets as quickly as possible.”

McCain also pressed Johnson on why he hadn’t yet sought assistance.

“Have you or any other official at [the Department of Homeland Security] made a request to DOD to coordinate Army UAV training missions at Ft. Huachuca to assist DHS in surveilling the border for counter narcotics activity? If not, please explain why such a request has not been made,” he wrote.