DHS chief requests volunteers to help at border after 'overwhelming' migrant surge

DHS Secretary Mayorkas called the border situation "overwhelming," amid administration saying no crisis.
A Customs and Border Protection vehicle patrols the border wall in Rio Grande Valley sector of the Texas border.
By Nicholas Sherman

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is asked agency staffers to help along the U.S.-Mexico border amid a surge of migrants trying to enter the country.

Mayorkas sent an email to staff that was obtained by Fox News and stated the agency is activating its Volunteer Force to support Customs and Border Protection.

"Please consider joining the Volunteer Force," Mayorkas wrote, "to provide needed humanitarian support along the Southwest border and relief for our CBP colleagues."

Volunteers will not be used in a law-enforcement capacity. They will instead function in such support duties as making supply runs and preparing meals.

What remains unclear are such issues as who's eligible to volunteer, what expense will taxpayers incur for travel and other related spending and will the volunteer work result in unfinished government work. 

Since President Biden took office, there has been a large increase in the number of migrants coming over the border. In the last two weeks alone, the amount of migrant children being detained at the border has tripled.

The volunteer force was last used in 2019 under President Trump. Mayorkas said that in 2019, nearly 900 people volunteered at the border.