Raul Ortiz, chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, tweeted about the recent capture of migrants in a freight car, calling the tactic "dangerous" and putting lives at risk. As Title 42 comes to a close this week, a surge of migrants is expected. In response, the Department of Defense is sending troops to the border to assist border patrol with the increased migration.
Ortiz posted a May 1 tweet in response to what agents had seized and witnessed in the previous 72 hours: "2 Agents Assaulted/Prosecution sought, 22,220 Apprehensions, 806 lbs. Methamphetamine, 283 lbs. Marijuana, 62 lbs. Cocaine, 3 Firearms, 5 Maritime Events, 2 Sex Offenders, 2 Tractor Trailer Events, 1 Convicted Murderer, 1 Gang Member."
In another tweet posted May 6, Ortiz recapped the week with another list that included two agents assaulted, nearly 55,000 apprehensions, "18,698 Approx. got-aways," 138 pounds of fentanyl seized, as well as cocaine, marijuana and meth. Ortiz said border patrol had also apprehended six sex offenders and seven gang members.
On May 2, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder announced that Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III had approved a request from Homeland Security to send military troops to the southern border for 90 days to provide operational support. Reports indicate the troops will assist Border Patrol officers as they expect a sharp increase in border crossings with Title 42 expiring on May 11. Under Title 42, enacted in March 2020, migrants could be deported based on a public health restriction due to COVID-19.
Troy Miller, a top official at CBP, told CBS News that he expects as many as 10,000 migrants to cross the border every day once Title 42 ends. This number would double the average number of crossings in March of this year.
George Fishman of the Center for Immigration Studies criticized the new "Fact-Sheet: U.S. Government Announces Sweeping New Actions to Manage Regional Migration" issued by the Biden administration, calling it a "blueprint for failure." Fishman claims President Joe Biden's move to end the Migrant Protection Protocols, which DHS found to be “an indispensable tool in addressing the ongoing crisis at the southern border and restoring integrity to the immigration system” and “a rapid and substantial decline in apprehensions in those areas where the most amenable aliens have been processed and returned to Mexico pursuant to MPP” under President Trump has contributed to the chaos at the border. Fishman said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' plan is nothing more than a rehash of the current plan and will not accomplish any new successes.
According to Fox News, Rep. Sharice Davids, a Democrat from Kansas, is calling on the president and Mayorkas to work with Republicans to find a bipartisan solution on immigration, particularly as the government's Title 42 expulsion policy comes to an end. Davids warned that the end of the policy could worsen the "humanitarian and refugee crisis" at the southern border. She called for a plan that secures the border and provides a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients and people who served in the Armed Forces.
"Ultimately, we need a comprehensive and bipartisan solution that is smart, humane, and true to our country’s values," David said. "That must include securing and protecting our borders along with a roadmap to citizenship, especially for people who have served in our military and Dreamers."
