The Government of Joe Biden is considering sending soldiers to the border with Mexico to assist Border Patrol in containing the arrival of migrants after the end of Title 42 on May 11, according to the Fox News news network and three sources confirmed. to NBC News, sister network of Noticias Telemundo.
The sources consulted by NBC News did not specify how many soldiers could be sent to the southern border, but clarified that these troops would have a role of logistical and administrative support to the Border Patrol.
They would not be members of the National Guard but active duty soldiers, but they would not carry weapons and would not be trained to make arrests, a role that would remain the exclusive preserve of Customs and Border Protection agents.
A US soldier patrols the border with Mexico near El Paso, Texas, on January 8, 2023. Christian Chavez / AP
The Biden Administration's plans are similar to the deployment of more than 5,000 troops to the southern border by former President Donald Trump, who designated them for roles supporting civilian federal agencies, a role similar to the one they are now expected to be given.
However, the sources consulted indicate that the number of soldiers mobilized on this occasion may be much lower (although they did not specify how many).
The sending of soldiers to the border would take place at a time when it is feared that the arrival of immigrants will skyrocket due to the end of Title 42, the health ordinance that the Trump Administration used in the coronavirus pandemic to expeditiously expel and without the right to request asylum to those who cross irregularly.
More than 2.8 million migrants have been returned at the border without the right to request Title 42 asylum since March 2020.
