On Monday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the deployment of the new Texas Tactical Border Force, a specialized tactical unit of Texas National Guard troops specifically trained to deal with the emergency on the border with Mexico. The new force will be in place for Thursday when Title 42 — a Covid-era provision that allows authorities to quickly expel illegal immigrants — expires.
Cities along the southern border are bracing for a spike in illegal immigration once Title 42 expires. Immigrants have already inundated border cities such as El Paso, overwhelming relief shelters and straining city services. News outlets report that immigrants are even sleeping on the street in downtown El Paso.