According to sources familiar with the matter, the Biden administration has authorized the deployment of 1,500 active-duty U.S. troops to the southern border in the coming days.
The move comes amid concerns that tens of thousands of migrants will surge into the country once Title 42, which allows for the rapid removal of migrants at the border due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, is lifted. The troops would come from various active-duty Army units and serve for 90 days in primarily administrative and transport roles to free up law enforcement and Border Patrol.
A White House official said the deployment is not inconsistent with support for the border going back to the George W. Bush administration. Officials said the troop deployment would be similar to deployments to the border ordered by former President Donald Trump. The troops would be armed for self-defense but would not assist with law enforcement.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has previously warned migrants that illegal entry into the U.S. "will result in removal." The Biden administration is encouraging migrants to use the CBP One app to schedule appointments at points of entry where their asylum claims can be processed.
However, the reality of the government's response to the migrant crisis doesn't reflect the Biden administration's official position. While many are currently returned due to the Title 42 order, not all who enter illegally have been returned via the order. CBP statistics show that only about 46% of migrant encounters at the border resulted in a Title 42 expulsion.
Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified to Senate lawmakers last month that of the nearly 1.3 million migrants in FY 2022 who were processed via Title 8, only about 360,000 were deported.
In preparation for the end of Title 42, the Biden administration has developed a new asylum rule that will bar migrants from being eligible to claim asylum if they have crossed into the U.S. illegally, have not scheduled an appointment via the CBP One app, and have not claimed asylum in a country through which they previously passed.
While Mayorkas has stressed that the "presumption of ineligibility" will be rebuttable and there are exemptions made for some people, it has enraged some Democrats and immigration activists who claim it is similar to the Trump-era transit ban and that it infringes on the right of anyone from anywhere in the world to claim asylum at the U.S. border.
Sending troops to the border will likely anger the left and draw more comparisons of Biden to Trump. The expected migrant surge has prompted the administration to work more closely with Mexican authorities and NGO partners and look for alternative removal authorities under Title 8.
Last month, Fox News Digital reported that the administration is preparing to hold "credible fear" screenings the first step in claiming asylum for migrants in CBP facilities. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the agency is working with legal service providers "to provide access to legal services for individuals who receive credible fear interviews in CBP custody."
The Biden administration's deployment of troops to the southern border is a significant move, as it seeks to address the ongoing migrant crisis. The troops will serve in administrative and transport roles, freeing up law enforcement and Border Patrol to handle the expected surge of migrants. However, the move will likely draw criticism from the left and comparisons to former President Trump's policies.
The Biden administration has also developed a new asylum rule that will bar some migrants from claiming asylum, enraging some Democrats and immigration activists. The administration is working closely with Mexican authorities and NGO partners to address the expected surge of migrants.
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