Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin approved a plan that would send an additional 1,500 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in preparation for the possibility of an influx of immigrants next week when Title 42 expires.
The troops are expected to arrive as early as a week from this Wednesday, according to Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, one day ahead of when Title 42, which was invoked at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and has allowed border authorities to more quickly expel migrants, is set to expire.
DHS AND STATE DEBUT PLAN TO SCREEN MIGRANTS AT OUTPOSTS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
“For 90 days, these 1,500 military personnel will fill critical capability gaps, such as ground-based detection and monitoring, data entry, and warehouse support, until CBP can address these needs through contracted support," Ryder said in a statement. "Military personnel will not directly participate in law enforcement activities. This deployment to the border is consistent with other forms of military support to DHS over many years.”
The department is also looking at how "we might replace these deploying forces in stride with other sources to include potentially forces from the reserve component and contracted support," he added. They will "be very much focused on support tasks to the CBP."
Ryder said the troops would come from the Army and the Marine Corps but did not say what units would deploy to the border.
The Department of Homeland Security also issued a statement regarding the implementation of "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." It also noted, “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."
The Biden administration is concerned about tens of thousands of immigrants traveling through Mexico who are preparing to cross the border on May 12, when they will no longer be subject to being immediately turned away.
Biden most recently approved 2,500 National Guard deployments from 25 states and U.S. territories last October.
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Troops are limited in what they can do on the border due to the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prevents U.S. active-duty military from enforcing domestic laws unless explicitly authorized by the U.S. Congress. National Guard soldiers were exempt from that law, but because they were deployed under Title 10 active-duty orders, they were barred from enforcing federal law, including immigration laws.
DOD has supported the Department of Homeland Security on the southern border for 18 of the last 22 years, and every year since 2006, Ryder said.