Contrary to US President Donald Trump, a US military officer on the border with Mexico said he did not see the immigrants arriving in a convoy from Central America gathered in Mexico as "enemies" after Trump referred to them as an "invasion".
"I do not consider them enemies of the military ... They are just immigrants in a convoy heading toward the United States in search of a better life and asylum," Captain Joster Cunningham said in San Diego on Thursday.
"The army does not classify them as enemies in any way, neither form nor subject," he was quoted by Reuters as saying.
Trump's decision to send troops to the border with Mexico came just before the midterm elections in Congress last week.
The number of US soldiers on the border with Mexico may be around 5,800, he said, adding that next week he will begin to consider returning some troops to their barracks, or perhaps move some to new border posts.
The Pentagon says there are no plans for US troops to deal with migrants, and that they are only doing some of the support functions for the Customs and Border Protection Department, such as wiring and building a temporary camp for them and customs officials.
"With regard to confronting migrants, the possibility of this is still not possible, because this is not our job," he said, "our work is to fortify the fence and help the Customs and Border Protection Administration to carry out their work."
About 1,000 migrants linked to the convoy have arrived in the border town of Tijuana in Mexico in recent days. A similar number is expected in the next few days. Thousands of others may reach the border towns as most of the convoy arrives.
