Saturday, April 16, 2022

Lawmakers Rage as Pentagon Says It Won’t Put Troops at Mexico Border

As the Biden administration scrambles to prepare for an expected surge in illegal immigration after the Title 42 health authority is lifted next month, the Pentagon has promised to provide “some” support — but will not go so far as to put forces on the southwestern border.
Last month, the Department of Homeland Security requested help as border officials brace for record-high numbers of encounters.
Gen. Glen Vanherck, head of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, told the Senate Armed Service Committee that the department was planning to “provide additional capability or capacity based on the potential for additional immigration, or folks coming to the southwest border.”
The Department of Defense confirmed the request to The Post on Wednesday, revealing that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has “authorized some DoD support.”
Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
However, the support will be limited and will not include “additional personnel sent for the monitoring mission” or guarding the border.
“On Saturday, Secretary Austin approved DoD support to DHS regarding the anticipated surge in irregular migration along the southwest border to help DHS execute its mission of providing appropriate humanitarian care to migrants in its custody,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement.
That support will include contracting 40 commercial buses to transport migrants from border ports of entry to other locations for processing, as well as having medical personnel on standby, Kirby said.
“The Secretary also approved in principle providing land sites on DoD military installations for processing of migrants, and providing lodging for Federal employees supporting the mission, should it be needed,” he continued.
In a separate statement, the Pentagon appeared open to sending troops to the area.
“The Department has been supporting this DHS-led mission since 2006, spanning the Bush, Obama, Trump, and now the Biden administrations along the way. If DHS were to send a request for continued assistance along the border, DoD would consider it,” Defense Department spokesman LTC Chris Mitchell told The Post.
It is unclear when the support will go into effect. Currently, it has been approved for 90 days and “will be provided on a reimbursement basis.”
Read the rest of the story HERE

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