The Biden administration will announce the deployment of 1,500 members of the US military to the southern border ahead of an expected surge of undocumented migrants once pandemic-era restrictions are lifted later this month, according to people familiar with the plans.
(Bloomberg) — The Biden administration will announce the deployment of 1,500 members of the US military to the southern border ahead of an expected surge of undocumented migrants once pandemic-era restrictions are lifted later this month, according to people familiar with the plans.
The Department of Homeland Security made the request to the Pentagon, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is expected to approve the deployment on Tuesday, according to a person, who requested anonymity to discuss plans before they were announced.
The military members would not serve in a law enforcement capacity and would not interact with migrants. Instead, they would be tasked with administrative jobs like data entry and warehouse management currently being performed by Department of Homeland Security personnel, who would then be freed up for enforcement duties.
President Joe Biden last month gave the Pentagon emergency powers to assist DHS in efforts related to drug trafficking, providing the authority for the move, which was first reported by Fox News. The military personnel would come from active duty Army units and be deployed for 90 days, the network reported. The deployment comes in addition to National Guard troops already supporting DHS at the border.
Troops were also deployed to the southern border under former President Donald Trump, who sent more than 5,000 active-duty members of the military ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.
The US is bracing for a wave of migrants to attempt crossing the border when Covid-19-related restrictions that enable the rapid removal of undocumented migrants — known as Title 42 — lapse on May 11, when the national emergency declared during the pandemic expires. US Customs and Border Protection said the agency is preparing for as many 10,000 migrants to attempt to cross the border every day once the restrictions lift.
In recent weeks, the administration unveiled a new rule that restricts asylum claims for those who entered the US illegally, did not schedule an asylum appointment and did not seek asylum in countries they transited through to get to the US. The new rules are aimed at discouraging illegal migration or convincing travelers coming north to seek asylum in other countries along the way. Â Â
(Adds details, starting in first paragraph)
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.