Texas readies for border chaos

The city of El Paso, Texas, has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of a rule change that could overwhelm the southern border. The rule, called Title 42, is due to expire Wednesday. When that happens, the Department of Homeland Security estimates that as many as 14,000 migrants may try to cross the border from Mexico every day.

Why is Title 42 expiring? The public health rule allowed the immediate expulsion of illegal immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that most governments have lifted coronavirus restrictions, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says Title 42 is no longer needed. A coalition of states, including Texas, sued the federal government to keep Title 42 in place, but a federal appeals court last week ruled against them. The states are expected to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report on how Texas border communities are preparing for the end of Title 42.