Hundreds of American troops are waiting for orders to deploy to the border with Mexico. It appears to be part of President Trump's promise to address what he calls 'a national emergency': a caravan of Central American migrants headed to the US. Daniel Ryntjes has more. 

We do not have any confirmed facts as yet, only reports from unnamed officials. Captain Bill Speaks who works in the office of the Defense Secretary tells me they are still working with the Department of Homeland Security on the specifics of any additional support. But media reports indicate that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is expected to sign an order to deploy 800 active- duty troops soon to bolster.

About 2,100 National Guardsmen already on the U.S. southern border. They may be forces from the Air Force or Army, or they could be even be more National Guardsmen sent from individual states along the border. The added troops will not be empowered to physically defend the border. But these new troops are likely to provide logistical support such as fencing, wall materials, and other technical assistance. Those deployed troops would retain the right of self-defense. But the border patrol officers would still be the ones physically able stop or arrest illegal immigrants.

DANIEL RYNTJES WASHINGTON "President Trump has been similarly vague, with reference to this caravan. Trump tweeted earlier today."

"I am bringing out the military for this National Emergency. They will be stopped!"

Remember, that one of the key political platforms that propelled this real estate mogul to the White House was the issue of border security. Now that we're approaching the U.S. mid-term elections on November 6th. This deployment may also have a political purpose. This caravan of migrants is traveling slowly through Mexico and so it's likely to take several weeks to reach the border with the United States.

The President - more recently tweeted: "To those in the Caravan, turnaround, we are not letting people into the United States illegally. Go back to your Country and if you want, apply for citizenship like millions of others are doing!"