The US government will temporarily send 1,500 additional troops to help secure the US-Mexico border, the Department of Defense has said, in preparation for a possible rise in illegal immigration when Covid-19 restrictions are lifted next week.
The 90-day deployment of active-duty troops will supplement the work of US Border Patrol but not carry out law enforcement duties, department spokesperson Brigadier General Pat Ryder said in a statement.
They will conduct ground-based monitoring, data entry and warehouse support to free up border agents and "fill critical capability gaps," he added.
The force will be in addition to an ongoing deployment of about 2,500 National Guard troops.
The so-called Title 42 restrictions, set to end on 11 May, allow US authorities to rapidly expel non-Mexican migrants to Mexico without the chance to seek asylum.
Record numbers of migrants have been caught illegally crossing the US-Mexico border since President Joe Biden took office in 2021.
Republicans have criticised him for rolling back the hardline policies of former president Donald Trump.
Some Democrats and immigration activists also have verbally attacked Mr Biden for gradually toughening his approach to border security.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, when asked about the troop deployment at a news conference, said the United States is a sovereign nation and that Mexico respects its decisions.
US military troops have been used to help secure the border during previous presidential administrations, including George W Bush, Barack Obama and Mr Trump, who deployed thousands of active-duty and National Guard troops.
The Department of Defense has long been frustrated about military deployments to the border, privately arguing that the mundane tasks are better suited for law enforcement agencies and can affect military readiness.
Immigration advocates have criticised previous efforts to send troops to the border.
"People seeking asylum should be met with humanitarian professionals, welcoming volunteers, and medical and mental health professionals. Not soldiers," tweeted Bilal Askaryar, interim campaign manager of the #WelcomeWithDignity Campaign.
US to end international travellers' vaccine requirement
The troop announcement comes after the White House confirmed an end to coronavirus vaccine requirements for travellers to the United States and for government employees across the world's biggest economy from next week.
"We are announcing that the administration will end the Covid-19 vaccine requirements for federal employees, federal contractors, and international air travellers at the end of the day on 11 May, the same day that the Covid-19 public health emergency ends," a statement said.
More than one million people are said to have died from Covid-19 in the United States.
However, the White House noted that the pandemic had been all but stopped, leading to the government lifting restrictions dating back from when the disease was affecting entire communities and forcing crippling economic shutdowns.
"Since January 2021, Covid-19 deaths have declined by 95% and hospitalisations are down nearly 91%. Globally, Covid-19 deaths are at their lowest levels since the start of the pandemic," the statement said.
According to the White House, "vaccine requirements bolstered vaccination across the nation, and our broader vaccination campaign has saved millions of lives".
While demanding proof of a Covid-19 vaccination for foreigners boarding US-bound flights mirrored the practice of many countries, the domestic government vaccination mandates sparked sometimes fierce political backlash at home.
In addition to ending the vaccine rules, Mr Biden announced in April that he was officially calling an end to the national health emergency that for more than three years had underpinned a series of extraordinary government measures.
These included funding for free Covid-19 testing and vaccinations across the country.
