U.S. sending 1,500 active-duty troops to southern border amid migration spike

Washington — The Department of Defense is deploying 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border to provide operational support to U.S. immigration authorities as they grapple with a sharp increase in migrant crossings ahead of the termination of pandemic-era migration restrictions, U.S. officials said Tuesday.

The service members will be deployed for 90 days, one official said, and will not be tasked with any law enforcement duties like detaining or processing migrants. Instead, the military units will play a supporting role, assisting with transportation, administrative duties, narcotics detection, data entry and warehouse support. 

Late last month, President Biden gave the Pentagon emergency authorization to assist Homeland Security officials in efforts to combat international drug trafficking.