WASHINGTON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump will sign a proclamation on Wednesday directing the deployment of the National Guard to the country's border with Mexico, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said.

"The President has directed that the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security work together with our governors to deploy the National Guard to our southwest border," Nielsen told a White House news briefing.

"The president will be signing a proclamation to that effect today," she said.

Troops could be sent to the border as early as Wednesday night, Nielsen said, adding that the National Guard would support U.S. Custom and Border Protection but would not be involved in enforcement. Enditem