Biden to Send 1,500 Troops to Mexican Border as Fears of Migrant Surge Grow

President Biden is sending 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border, while cities across the country are declaring states of emergency and asking for federal support as the country prepares for a surge of migration expected to accompany the lifting of Title 42 border restrictions next week.

A large number of migrants have already been illegally entering El Paso, Texas, in recent days. Hundreds unable to find spots in shelters gathered in the past few days around downtown churches in the border city looking for help, according to photos and videos of the scene.

Mario D’Agostino, a deputy city manager, said there are an estimated 35,000 migrants in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico—across the Rio Grande from El Paso—believed to be waiting to cross into the U.S.

Local officials across the U.S. are worried about similar scenes playing out in their communities. The mayor of Yuma, Ariz., has pleaded for federal assistance, while the mayor of Chicago unsuccessfully asked Texas to not bus more migrants to her city, and New York City’s mayor is pressuring the state and federal governments to provide billions of dollars in aid.