Biden to send 1,500 troops to Mexico border to control immigration

The Biden Administration on Tuesday approved sending up to 1,500 military personnel from the Armed Forces to the southern border to help with immigration control. Fox reported this Tuesday, citing government sources. A statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later confirmed the information. The decision to send U.S. troops to the southern border comes a week before the end of the Title 42 enforcement period.

According to DHS, the 1,500 military personnel who will head to the Mexican border will be tasked with assisting the U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Troops are sent at the request of the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security. The measure is taken in response to possible future unprecedented waves of immigrants over the southern border.

“In preparation for the return to Title 8 immigration enforcement, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are implementing sweeping measures with our regional partners to reduce irregular migration, ensure safe, orderly, and efficient processing, and promptly remove individuals without a legal basis to remain in the United States. Due to an anticipated increase in migration, DHS requested that the Department of Defense (DoD) augment the 2,500 military personnel currently providing support at the Southwest Border with an additional 1,500 personnel for a period of 90 days. 

DoD personnel will be performing non-law enforcement duties such as ground based detection and monitoring, data entry, and warehouse support. DoD personnel have never, and will not, perform law enforcement activities or interact with migrants or other individuals in DHS custody. This support will free up DHS law enforcement personnel to perform their critical law enforcement missions.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is investing in technology and personnel to reduce its need for DoD support in coming years, and we continue to call on Congress to support us in this task.

While this request is for 90 days, DoD has supported DHS on the border every year since 2006.”

End of Title 42

The U.S. military will have administrative, transportation and support duties, although initial reports indicate that the units will be armed with self-defense equipment, although they will not be performing law enforcement or law enforcement duties. According to Washington Examiner sources, the federal government believes that a large number of immigrants will attempt to cross the border on May 12.

The stationing of these troops will be temporary and is in addition to the 2,500 military personnel based in different sectors of the border with Mexico. Title 42, which expires on May 11, was established during the covid pandemic and allowed for the rapid removal of illegal migrants. However, refunds were only applied in 46% of the arrests. Biden's immigration control policy has been heavily criticized throughout his administration. In March, a Florida federal judge ruled in favor of Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, declaring Biden's border policies illegal.