U.S. Northern Command in Colorado Springs will oversee 1,500 troops headed to the southern U.S. border this week amid an expected surge of immigrants.
The surge is expected as the White House ends a COVID-19 public health order known as Title 42 that allowed the border agents to turn back immigrants without hearing asylum claims.
Soldiers, Marines and a small number of airmen are expected to help with data entry, warehousing and monitoring efforts, according to a news release.
The service members will not support migrant processing, escort duties or other tasks that require direct contact with migrants.
The additional troops will free up Customs and Border Patrol staff to conduct law enforcement, the news release said.
Troops will start to arrive at the border on Thursday from posts in North Carolina and Texas.
At a press event last week, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the Department of Homeland Security requested additional military support. The surge will last 90 days and it will be focused on “detection and monitoring and aviation support,” he said.
There are already 2,500 National Guard troops at the border, he said.
In addition, the Department of Homeland Security has 24,000 Border Patrol officers along the southwest border, and more than 2,000 additional non-uniformed personnel to assist in processing and facility operations, the agency announced last week.
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