The Biden administration has requested 1,500 troops for the U.S.-Mexico border amid an expected migrant surge following the end of pandemic-era restrictions, according to three administration officials.
The troops would be sent down to focus on administrative tasks so that U.S. Customs and Border Protection can work in the field, two of the officials said. They would not do law enforcement work. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly about the request because it had not yet been approved and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The COVID-19 restrictions allowed U.S. officials to turn away tens of thousands of migrants crossing the southern border. Those restrictions will lift May 11. The Biden administration has already made major changes to tighten the border ahead of time.