In light of worries that tens of thousands of migrants could flood the nation if Title 42 is lifted, the Biden administration is reportedly debating whether to send 1,500 active duty U.S. troops to the southern border in the coming days.
According to two senior U.S. officials aware with the discussions, the American soldiers would come from a range of current duty Army units and would mostly serve in administrative and transport jobs to free up law enforcement and Border Patrol.
According to sources, the force deployment would resemble those to the border that previous President Donald Trump had requested. The troops would be equipped with weapons for self-defense but not for law enforcement purposes.
When the COVID-19 epidemic first broke out in March 2020, the US government referred to Title 42, a public health statute.
Invoking public health concerns, the bill permits the government to deport migrants, including asylum seekers and unaccompanied youngsters, without following the proper procedures.
The power to carry out the order was granted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and it has been in place ever since.
The Biden administration said in December 2021 that it would gradually stop allowing families and individuals to apply for asylum in the US under Title 42.
The administration justified the shift in policy by noting improvements in COVID-19 testing and immunization rates as well as expanded capacity to handle asylum petitions.
Most observers believe that the the end of Title 42 will cause a massive new wave of illegal migrants to cross over the U.S.’s southern border.
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