Biden’s border troops will handle data entry, not law enforcement, according to DHS documents.

The southern border is expected to see a surge in migrants, prompting the Biden administration to deploy 1,500 troops ahead of the May 11 expiration of Title 42. However, internal communications from the Department of Homeland Security reveal that the impact of the deployment will be minimal, as the troops will mainly focus on “data entry.”

Granting Troops Access to Migrant Data Processing System

The agency is working to grant the troops access to the E3 system, which is used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to process migrant data. According to a senior Homeland Security official, the memos suggest that the Biden administration is planning to allow a large number of migrants to enter the country.

“The Biden administration is doing this so troops can put alien info into government databases and then Customs and Border Protection can then send them on their way,” the official said.

Contradicting Appearance of Border Security

The memos contradict the appearance that President Joe Biden is attempting to secure the border ahead of Title 42’s expiration. Instead, the documents suggest that the troops will largely be tasked with inputting migrant data into the E3 system, allowing migrants to claim asylum and enter the country.

The southern border could see up to 15,000 daily crossings once Title 42 lapses, which amounts to just over 5 million annually. This is a significant increase from March 2020, which saw just 5,200 illegal crossings per day.

Call for Title 42 to Remain in Place

Republicans and even some Democrats have called on the Biden administration to keep Title 42 in place to prevent the projected surge. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has warned that increased migration in the coming weeks will “strain our workforce, our communities, and our entire system.”

For more information, refer to the Department of Homeland Security’s May 2 statement on the president’s decision to deploy troops.