Page 5 - AT

A5
U.S. NEWS Tuesday 11 december 2018

U.S. starts to

withdraw troops from

Trump border mission

By LOLITA C. BALDOR 2,300 members of the Na-
Associated Press tional Guard who were sent
WASHINGTON (AP) — The to the border region as part
U.S. this week will begin of a separate deployment
withdrawing many of the that started in April.
active duty troops sent to The active duty troops,
the border with Mexico by numbering about 5,200 as
President Donald Trump just of Monday, were initially
before the midterm elec- scheduled to stay until Dec.
tion in response to a cara- 15. Late last month, De-
van of Central American fense Secretary Jim Mattis
migrants, U.S. officials said extended the mission to the
Monday. end of January at the re-
About 2,200 of the active quest of the Department of
duty troops will be pulled Homeland Security. It’s un-
out before the holidays, the clear if it will be extended U.S. Border Patrol agents stand in front of a secondary fence in San Diego, California looking
officials said, shrinking an again. The U.S. forces have across border wall toward Mexico as they respond to a group of Central American migrants who
unusual domestic deploy- installed vast amounts of crossed the border wall illegally, seen from across the wall in Tijuana, Mexico, Sunday, Dec. 9,
ment that was viewed by razor wire and provided 2018.
critics as a political stunt transportation and protec- Associated Press
and a waste of military re- tion for the Border Patrol. stay in the border region so tial 45-day deployment, in and 1,650 in California.
sources. The troops are not there to they can quickly respond if response to the caravan, “Some units have com-
That will leave about 3,000 directly deal with the Cen- they are needed by border which at one point num- pleted their mission and
active duty troops in Tex- tral American migrants, agents. The officials spoke bered about 7,000 people, they have already started
as, Arizona and California, many of whom eventually on condition of anonymity including many families to partially redeploy. Other
mainly comprised of mili- made their way to Tijuana, to discuss internal plans not with children. units have been identified
tary police and helicopter just south of California. yet made public. On Monday, Col. Rob Man- to rotate home and will be
transport crews who are as- One of the officials said that Active duty troops began ning said there are current- returning home over the
sisting border patrol agents. some of the military police arriving at the border in ly 2,200 active duty troops next several weeks,” Man-
There also will still be about and helicopter crews will early November for an ini- in Texas; 1,350 in Arizona; ning said.q

In possible plea deal, accused Russian agent case ‘resolved’

By MICHAEL BALSAMO, As- tion asking to change her maker who was sanctioned resolution. However, for
sociated Press plea. A hearing has been by the U.S. Treasury Depart- several weeks, prosecutors
WASHINGTON (AP) — A scheduled for Wednes- ment for his alleged ties to and Butina’s lawyer have
woman accused of being day afternoon. Prosecu- Russian President Vladimir indicated in court papers
a secret agent for the Rus- tors have alleged Butina, Putin. Butina, who was ar- that they were negotiating
sian government has likely 30, gathered intelligence rested in July, was charged and may have been near-
taken a plea deal, pros- on American officials and with conspiracy and acting ing a plea deal.
ecutors indicated Monday political organizations and as an unregistered foreign The charges against Butina
in a court filing that said her In this April 21, 2013 file photo, worked to develop relation- agent for Russia. Her lawyer were brought by federal
case has been “resolved.” Maria Butina, leader of a pro- ships with American politi- has argued that Butina is a prosecutors in Washington,
The information was includ- gun organization in Russia, cians through her contacts student interested in Ameri- D.C., and her case is un-
ed in a filing in the case speaks to a crowd during a with the National Rifle Asso- can politics and better U.S.- related to special counsel
against Maria Butina. Fed- rally in support of legalizing ciation. They have charged Russian relations. Robert Mueller’s investiga-
the possession of handguns in
eral prosecutors and Buti- Moscow, Russia. that her work was directed The documents did not tion into Russian interfer-
na’s lawyer filed a joint mo- Associated Press by a former Russian law- provide details about the ence in the 2016 election.q