Troops to stay at U.S.-Mexico border through January

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has approved the Department of Homeland Security‘s request to extend U.S. troops' mission at the southern border beyond the original December 15 mission end-date and through January 31, 2019, ABC News reports and a Department of Defense spokesperson confirmed to Axios.

Why it matters: The extension could keep troops on active duty through the holidays and new year. It wasn’t immediately clear if all of the roughly 6,000 troops will be asked to stay.