CDC to end pandemic border restriction

Former President Donald Trump invoked Title 42 in March 2020 to stop asylum-seekers and other migrants from crossing the southern border into the United States while the world battled COVID-19. Since taking office, President Joe Biden has faced criticism for retaining the public health rule. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced it will officially revoke Title 42 on May 23, giving the Department of Homeland Security time to prepare for an expected surge of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Since the rule was enacted, border agents have turned away roughly 1.7 million asylum seekers.

What does this mean for immigration? Republican lawmakers have argued the decision will worsen the immigration crisis. Each month, more than 150,000 people are either crossing illegally or showing up without documents at ports of entry, according to Customs and Border Protection. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the administration’s actions will endanger Texans and that his state “must take unprecedented action to keep our communities safe.” Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., also said Title 42 has been essential to keeping immigration under control and called on the administration to make it permanent. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas repeatedly said Title 42 is a public health order, not an immigration policy.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Michaelian’s report in Compassion about Biden’s move to fast-track asylum cases.