Many House Republicans have called on the Biden administration for answers and transparency about how it will deal with the migrant crisis in the southern border. The White House is poised now to end the Trump-era Title 42 immigration policies.
31 House Republicans have written a letter to Biden’s administration Wednesday, which was obtained by The Washington Examiner. They are asking the president to address concerns about Title 42 being terminated before the order is lifted. After a request from 19 Republican-led States, the Supreme Court extended the immigration policy that was due to expire Wednesday.
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R.GA), who wrote the letter, said that President Biden was ready to deliver a heightened immigration crisis to the American people in time for Christmas. “Fortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked Title 42’s termination, which gave the Biden administration more time for a comprehensive plan to be prepared as litigation proceeds. The president continues to wreck havoc at the southern border, even though it has been temporarily blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court. This is while he is on vacation in the Caribbean.
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden received a three-page letter detailing six questions that lawmakers need to answer before Title 42 can be lifted. These questions include: How the administration will address an expected influx in migrant crossings? How many immigrants crossed the border with a communicable illness since January 2021? And how many unaccompanied children are at high risk of being trafficked because of the increase in border crossings?
According to the letter, at least 98 individuals on terrorist watchlists have illegally crossed into the south border in the past fiscal year. The Biden administration is being asked by the letter how many they “anticipate” to cross once Title 42 expires.
Clyde stated that “Given the track record of the Biden administration of abdicating their responsibilities and enabling chaos through its open border agenda”, he doesn’t believe President Obama is ready for Title 42 to end or has any plans to improve the situation at the southern borders anytime soon. “I look forward in fully investigating this matter and holding the Biden administration responsible, as well as advancing policies to secure border under a House Republican majority next year.”
Title 42 was created by the Trump administration in 2020 to stop the spread of COVID-19. The public health order allowed border agents to immediately expel immigrant upon their encounter.
According to U.S. Customs Border and Protection, Border Patrol agents had 2.3 million encounters with immigrant in the 2022 fiscal year. This is a new record. This number will likely rise if Title 42 is removed.
While the Department of Justice continues to seek to defend lower court rulings that the Biden administration could remove the policy, it is asking for a delay in its end. If the Supreme Court resolves the Title 42 case by Friday, the program should be kept in place until December 27.
The Biden administration will ask for Title 42 to be kept in place for at least two more days if a ruling is made after Friday — the expiration of which would occur after Christmas.
