The United States is sending an additional 1,500 troops to the southern border with Mexico to monitor and support Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations. The move comes as the US government prepares for a potential surge in attempted border crossings after the expected expiration of the Title 42 public health order on May 11. This order allows for the swift expulsion of migrants and blocks asylum claims. The surge is expected to last for 90 days.
According to officials, the troops will be active-duty and will not be armed, with no law enforcement role. They will perform non-law enforcement duties, including warehouse support, data entry, and ground-based detection and monitoring. CBP officials are investing in technologies and personnel to reduce the need for future Department of Defense (DoD) support.
The lifting of Title 42 is expected to result in a significant surge of migrants arriving at the border. As a result, the Biden administration has requested active-duty troops from the US Army to help CBP agents detect and monitor drug trafficking across the southern border. The troops’ deployment has been approved by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and the CBP is responsible for their request and payment.
The decision to deploy troops has been criticized by many who believe that the military should not be involved in migration policy. However, officials have noted that this move is consistent with other military support for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over the years.
In addition to the deployment of troops, the Biden administration has developed a new asylum rule that will bar migrants from eligibility if they crossed into the US illegally, committed crimes, and have not scheduled an appointment via the CBP One app, nor claimed asylum elsewhere. The administration also plans to open “regional processing centres” in South and Central America to detect pre-screening of asylum seekers for a range of lawful pathways to the US.
The deployment of additional troops is part of the administration’s efforts to prepare for a potential surge in migration after the pandemic-related rule expires. With cities like El Paso already seeing an influx of migrants in search of help, officials in other US cities are also voicing concerns about similar scenes taking place in their communities.
Overall, the deployment of additional troops is expected to help CBP agents manage and monitor the southern border more efficiently, allowing federal agencies to handle administrative and support work, so they can work more effectively in the field.
