Marissa Rubio: What can troops on the border do?

This article outlines the information available about how many troops will be deployed to the border to handle the large group of migrants marching to the border. The United States government plans to launch 5,000 or more active duty troops, that could easily increase to deal with the issue. There are particular laws that basically clarify what the troops can and can't do, but this can be open to interpretation. U.S. troop can NOT make arrests, seize drugs, or conduct searches. They can however provide planning assistance, engineering support, air support, medical teams, control facilities, and provide temporary housing. They also have the right to defend themselves but the outlines for what this qualifies as is unclear. The Trump administration has not outlined an approximate number of troops being sent, if they'll be armed, what they'll be armed with, the cost, and how the payment will be handled.
Issues with border control continue to weigh down the country that choses to blame the migrant and not the system that causes illegal crossing to begin with. When an immigrant is faced with a life or death situation and i forced to flee their home country out of necessity we shouldn't need to use intimidation and potential violence to deal with the issue. Why are there attempts made to cross the border to begin with if there is a previous knowledge of armed federal troops and ICE? Because their is little other choice. If the process of legally entering the country was a more accessible and timely process then maybe those put in this situation wouldn't have to chose between immediate danger and border control. This relates to the founding of America through Puritans and protestants. They were forced to flee persecution and dangerous situations to embark on the possibility of a positive future by venturing out into the notion of a better last.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/26/politics/caravan-troops-border-what-they-can-do/index.html