Republicans react to sending 1,500 troops to border as Title 42 ends
The White House says Congress needs to pass immigration reform. Congressional Republicans say it is up to the White House to stop migrants.
LEARN MOREMay 5, 2023
In response to the Biden administration's plan to send 1,500 U.S. troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to help with an expected surge of migrants attempting to enter the United States, Texas plans to send more troops.
There has been the belief that a migrant surge at the U.S. border could come, and that U.S. border agents would have to try and mitigate it, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, called the situation "bad" and said it "is about to get much, much worse, and the answer is not 1,500 active-duty service members."
On Friday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced his state would be sending troops to the Texas-Mexico border in anticipation of the end of Title 42. Abbott blamed the Biden administration for leaving "dangerous gaps" in securing the U.S. border.
The Texas governor said it is his understanding that the Biden administration said it is possible that up to 13,000 migrants could be expected to cross the U.S. border each day after Title 42 ends.
Abbott called the issues "a United States problem" and not "a Texas problem."
Abbot said, "It’s the responsibility of New York or Chicago or the entire country to deal with the problem caused by Joe Biden and his open border policies."
The Pentagon said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the deployment of 1,500 U.S. troops to the U.S. border.
Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said, "Military personnel will not directly participate in law enforcement activities."
