(*Editor's Note: This piece should have been identified as 'analysis' when it was first posted. It has been updated to reflect its more analytical nature. PennLive regrets the error)

Republican governor candidate Scott Wagner has latched onto what's become a potent issue for Republicans as the Nov. 6 election approaches: Mobilizing supporters over the so-called "caravan" of thousands of migrants making their way to America's southern border.

In a scathing Facebook post on Tuesday, Wagner, of York County, warned of an "unprecedented mob of thousands," on the move toward the United States. And he charged that Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf has "made it clear that he will not send the Pennsylvania National Guard to assist law enforcement at the border."

"With an unprecedented mob of thousands strong approaching our country, Pennsylvanians want to know that they have a governor who will enforce our immigration laws and make sure our border is secured," Wagner wrote. "But Governor Wolf has made it clear that he will not send the Pennsylvania National Guard to assist law enforcement at the border, and in light of the current situation that policy is flat out dangerous."

Here is the post:

With an unprecedented mob of thousands strong approaching our country, Pennsylvanians want to know that they have a... Posted by Scott Wagner on Tuesday, October 23, 2018

But Wagner's claim that Wolf doesn't want the Guard to "assist law enforcement" takes some liberties with the truth.

In June, Wolf said he didn't want the Pennsylvania National Guard to be used to assist the Trump administration in implementing its family separation policy at the southern border, according to published reports. Through a spokesman, Wolf also said, at the time, that Pennsylvania had not been asked to deploy troops to the border.

Wagner also takes broad latitude with his claim that "Pennsylvanians want to know that they have a governor who will enforce our immigration laws and make sure our border is secured."

Enforcement of immigration laws is a federal matter. And states have more limited jurisdiction. The two candidates have sparred over so-called 'sanctuary cities,' such as Philadelphia, who restrict their cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Nor are the migrants, who are currently more than 1,000 miles from U.S. soil, an "illegal alien mob," as Wagner asserts in his statement.

They have yet to enter the United States. That makes them neither nor legal nor illegal immigrants. They are currently a group of people, mostly women and children fleeing violence in their home country, who are marching northward.

And, in the event they reach American soil and request asylum, they will still not be illegal entrants. Political asylum is a legal reason for entering the United States - though the claim must still be adjudicated in a court of law.

As a member of the state Senate until earlier this year, Wagner supported legislation that would have withheld funds from municipalities that refused to work with federal immigration officials.

Through a spokesman, Wolf said at the time that he had reservations about the bill, including whether "states may legally require that municipalities assist with the enforcement of federal law, as the federal government must enforce its own immigration policy."

A spokeswoman for Wolf's re-election campaign could not immediately be reached for comment.

(John L. Micek is PennLive's Opinion Editor. Readers may email him at jmicek@pennlive.com.)