Texas Gov. Abbott is launching a 'Tactical Border Force' to patrol 'hot spots' where migrants cross

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is deploying a "Texas Tactical Border Force" of hundreds of National Guard members.
• The Guard will patrol "hot spots" along the Texas border and force migrants to turn around.

COVID-era restrictions that let the US turn away migrants at the border are set to expire this week — and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says the state's new "Tactical Border Force" will be patrolling "hot spots" to turn away undocumented immigrants.

Abbott announced Monday that over 500 Texas National Guard members will be deployed to "intercept, to repel, and to turn back migrants who are trying to enter Texas illegally."

Title 42, a March 2020 emergency public health rule that allowed former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden to speed up the process of turning away migrants seeking asylum at the US border, is set to end this Thursday.

On Friday, the World Health Organization announced the COVID-19 global health emergency was officially over.

Abbott used his press conference — helds days after incidents of deadly mass violence in his state — to trash Biden's border policies, saying the White House's plans would lead to "catastrophic disaster."

Abbott referenced the deadly mass shooting in Allen, Texas, while answering questions, saying he met with local leaders to "get to the bottom of what's going on."