The Title 42 measures were put in place at the start of the pandemic, in March 2020, giving U.S. border agents the ability to rapidly expel migrants back to their home countries or to Mexico. Since then federal authorities have used the measures to carry out more than 2.6 million expulsions.President Biden has faced pressure from immigrant advocates and some Democrats to end the restrictions and restore full access to the U.S. immigration system for asylum seekers.
Barring a last-minute court ruling, standard immigration rules at the border will once more be in effect starting at midnight May 12.Military personnel have augmented federal border operations for years. The 1,500 troops whose deployment was announced Tuesday will join another 2,500 service members already assigned to the southern border, a second
U.S. official said. Those figures do not include the Texas National Guard members mobilized for a state-led mission calledU.S. official said, because they can mobilize most quickly. As the operation unfolds, National Guard troops and military reservists are expected to join the mission, too.