USA Thursday night will lift the restrictions established during the coronavirus pandemic that, since 2020, have prevented hundreds of thousands of migrants trapped on its border with Mexico from seeking asylum, a measure that has caused an uptick in illegal crossings and has increased political tensions.
What is Title 42?
The restrictions, known as Title 42, were first implemented in March 2020 under then-Republican President Donald Trump, at the start of the pandemic. At the time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the order was necessary to stop the spread of the coronavirus in crowded detention settings.
He Title 42 It allowed border agents to quickly expel many migrants back to Mexico, but some public health experts, Democrats and advocates criticized its health justification, saying it was part of Trump’s goal to curb legal and illegal immigration.
Democratic Party President Joe Biden took office in 2021 vowing to reverse Trump’s restrictive approach, but kept Title 42 in place and expanded it as his administration grappled with record migrant apprehensions at the southern border with Mexico. .
Since its creation, migrants have been removed more than 2.7 million times under Title 42, though the total includes many who cross repeatedly and Mexico has generally only accepted certain nationalities.
What is happening right now?
The Biden administration intends to lift Title 42 on Thursday at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (0359 GMT Friday), when the coronavirus public health emergency ends in the United States.
Migrants caught crossing the US-Mexico border will be able to reapply for asylum. However, a new Biden administration regulation finalized this week could deny asylum to most illegal crossers.
Even with the tougher new asylum rule, US border authorities are bracing for a possible increase in illegal crossings, a result of pent-up demand and a perception among migrants that they will be allowed entry.
The number of migrants apprehended at the border with Mexico has climbed to more than 10,000 a day this week, surpassing a scenario outlined by a top US border official in April.
Some migrants said they intended to enter the United States before the new asylum restrictions went into effect.
What is the plan once Title 42 is gone?
Biden’s new regulation restricting asylum to migrants who cross illegally will take effect immediately after Title 42 ends.
Under the rule, most migrants will be presumed ineligible for asylum if they passed through other nations without first seeking protection elsewhere or did not use legal pathways to enter the United States.
The goal of the US authorities is to process immigrants in a matter of days and deport them quickly if they fail the initial asylum test.
Nearly 500 United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials will be temporarily assigned to assist with interviews, and the Pentagon will send 1,500 troops to temporarily support Border Patrol.
The new regulations, which toughen access to asylum, are expected to face legal challenges. The Biden administration could have a hard time holding migrants at the border and quickly deporting them without additional funding from Congress.
Could the courts or Congress uphold Title 42?
A last-minute legal intervention to block completion of Title 42 seems unlikely, but it remains unclear whether the court battles could resume afterward.
The CDC tried in April 2022 to end Title 42, claiming it was no longer necessary to limit the spread of the coronavirus in light of vaccines and other medical advances.
But a federal judge in Louisiana blocked the stoppage after a challenge filed by two dozen US states with Republican attorneys general, who argued that increased migration would burden their states with the costs.
In February, the United States Supreme Court withdrew another Title 42 case from its pleadings calendar, after being told by the administration that the order would end along with the COVID-19 emergency.
Separately, a bipartisan group of US senators is trying to pass a bill that would give immigration authorities the power to expel migrants back to Mexico for another two years, though its prospects for approval are uncertain.
The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives aims to pass a bill on Thursday that would toughen border enforcement.
How are US cities responding?
America’s border cities are dealing with the recent surge in migrant arrivals and preparing for the possibility of an increase when Title 42 ends.
The Texas cities Brownsville, El Paso and Laredo have issued emergency declarations.
El Paso is opening emergency shelters at two vacant schools, as existing shelters have been at capacity this week, according to local news outlets.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott this week expanded his ongoing campaign to use National Guard troops to secure the border, announcing a new tactical force that will be “deployed in hot spots” for “intercept and repel” to migrants.
New York Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, whose city has welcomed thousands of migrants on buses from Texas, on Wednesday suspended some of the city’s rules that guarantee shelter to those who need it.
Adams issued an executive order citing the “unprecedented humanitarian crisis” caused by the arrival of asylum seekers.
Source: Gestion
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