More soldiers being deployed to the border as Title 42 restrictions set to expire
Related Story
Hundreds of soldiers are beginning a new mission along the border ahead of an expected surge of people looking to come into the country.
The soldiers — a combination of U.S. active duty troops deployed by either the federal government and Texas National Guard troops sent by Gov. Greg Abbott as part of Operation Lone Star — is an effort to beef up security along the border as the Valley prepares for the end of Title 42.
RELATED: US troops arrive at border as migration curbs set to end
The Covid-related immigration restrictions are set to expire Thursday night.
In Brownsville, troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety were seen blocking a long line of migrants from crossing the river to enter the country.
National guardsmen were also spotted setting up barbed wire in a field in an attempt to deter people from crossing illegally.
“I have thousands of soldiers and airmen and Texas state guardsmen deployed along 1,254 miles of contiguous international boundary maintaining safety protecting lives and property,” Texas Brig. Gen. Matt Barker said. “I don't want to get into specific disposition of forces, but I can tell you the state of Texas deployed more than 500 additional soldiers to help with effort here."
RELATED: Brownsville aid group wants more migrant shelter space
A temporary base was set up near the levee where thousands of migrants have crossed in recent weeks. Barker said he’s concerned with the amount of people who’ve been crossing.
“The volume of the problem…has been growing, and we've seen some of the totals as opposed to what we've seen historically,” Barker said. “There has been a lot of activity in the migrant camps across from us over the past few weeks, so as you saw earlier in the week to bolster our forces down here, we've done some redeployment."
While the guardsmen are here to help maintain order along the border, Brownsville city officials say they want to make sure those who have crossed are taking the right steps to file for asylum.
RELATED: Biden: US-Mexico border will be 'chaotic for a while'
“Several Valley cities, and of course U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, working hard to try and get immigrants that come across to get to a center where they can be processed as expeditiously as possible,” Brownsville Commissioner Roy De Los Santos said. “We've only got so many resources, and so we will do our best to keep up with the demand."
RELATED: Huge number of asylum seekers at US-Mexico border as COVID-19 restrictions end, new rules begin
News
