OP-ED: Look at the caravan's actions, and you'll see their wicked intent

People fleeing violence rarely stop to grab a flag from their home country to display proudly as they slowly march to safety. The terrified typically plead for help rather than threaten those from whom they seek help. Those who have been victimized rarely attack potential benefactors. Supporters of people in distress wouldn't typically paint a swastika on the flag of the nation they are beseeching, before burning that flag.

Yet we have seen all of this aberrant behavior in the army of illegal aliens attempting to breach the borders of several countries on their way to demanding entry into and care from the United States. Hostile members of this "caravan" proudly wave Honduran flags representing the country they are fleeing. They have threatened any, including government officials and police, who attempt to enforce immigration laws. Upon reaching the Mexican border, they attacked police and vandalized barriers at the crossing. Their supporters defaced the American flag with a swastika and then burned it.

Their conduct belies their claim of victimhood. Their behavior indicates strongly that this army of illegal migrants have malevolent intentions.

Mexico stopped 1,500 at the southern Mexican frontier, only to see the border rushed and the mob reconstituted.

What makes this invasion particularly interesting is that it isn't organic. News reports indicate that "a call to form a caravan" to go to the U.S. was issued. An organic movement is one that arises through natural momentum, not as a result of a community organizer.

President Trump is right to demand that the nations sending these people to us, together with Mexico, stop this anarchic travel squad. I also support Trump's placement of military on the southern border, and his order to turn back the lawless who attempt to enter this country.

Sometimes the law abiding suffer because of the lawless. This mob of illegal aliens must be stopped, even if it means temporarily closing the border. Placing military on our border for a short period of time will also provide a deterrent to this and future groups. We must increase funding for our border agents and their equipment. We must facilitate immediate repatriation procedures.

We must also stop funding these nations with foreign aid, which is ostensibly supposed to help prevent such lawlessness. Those who arrive at our southern border must be turned back. Both Mexican and Honduran leaders said they will guarantee jobs for those who ditch the caravan.

Congress must build the border wall. Congressional leadership must move my border wall bill, Fund and Complete the Border Wall Act, HR 6657. This bill gives deadlines to build the wall, funding mechanisms for the wall, and pays for our border patrol agents.

People respond to incentives and deterrents. As long as America provides incentives for people to enter and stay illegally in the country, we will see increasing numbers of illegal border crossings. We must remove incentives to come and stay illegally; and now, we must use the available mechanisms to deter this advancing invasion of illegal migrants who wish to compel us to receive them into America.