Officials fear that phasing out the scheme will trigger a rush of people wanting to set foot in the United States. This could exacerbate the already difficult humanitarian situation on the southern border. When asked on Tuesday whether the US was prepared, Biden said: “That remains to be seen. It’s going to be chaotic for a while.”
Tens of thousands of people are gathering at border crossings and US authorities expect a sharp increase in asylum claims. In the US state of Texas, the cities of El Paso, Brownsville and Laredo declared a state of emergency. There are already hundreds of people who came from Latin America and also from China, Russia and Turkey.
Authorities fear the impression of an open border
The regulation introduced in March 2020, at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, provides that those seeking protection who are detained at the border with Mexico can be turned away immediately. This was justified with the fight against the corona virus – for critics just an excuse to impose a strict border policy.
Authorities fear a rush of people seeking protection once “Title 42” expires, because it could give the impression that the borders are opening up. According to the news channel CNN, the US government estimates that more than 150,000 people are in northern Mexico with their destination in the United States.
Portal/Mike Blake The situation at the border crossings between the US and Mexico is already extremely precarious
Speaking to AFP, Democratic El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser expressed deep concern. In the neighboring Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez, there would be between 8,000 and 10,000 people who wanted to reach the US, according to the Texan politician. And because a “caravan” of others is on its way to Ciudad Juarez, his city, which is right on the border with Mexico, could soon have to deal with 12,000 to 15,000 new arrivals.
US officials in border cities are already stretched thin. In El Paso, many people who escaped deportation sleep on the streets and seek protection from the sun under towels, children beg for money.
Even tougher laws could follow
Also in the Texas border town of Brownsville, many people from Central America and South American countries such as Venezuela and Colombia are on the streets. The number of people who arrived here had already increased in the last two weeks before the expiration of “Title 42”, because not everyone who sought protection was rejected. According to The New York Times (“NYT”), the rule was applied in about a third of cases. Most people deported under this scheme were from Mexico and Central America.
The United States expects a strong wave of migrants and people seeking protection on its border with Mexico. Because a controversial deportation rule expires.
With the end of “Title 42”, the US wants to rely on an old set of rules known as “Title 8”, which has been used in parallel with “Title 42” in recent years. In some places, this is stricter than coronavirus rules and includes penalties for illegal border crossing attempts. In any case, Biden has already announced that strict measures will continue to be taken against illegal border crossings. He mobilized an additional 1,500 troops to support border protection.
Congressional deal on migration law unlikely
At the same time, Biden wants to create more opportunities for legal entry. Among other things, migration centers will be opened in Latin American countries for this purpose. For the US president, the crisis on the border with Mexico is politically extremely delicate – and border policy is a balancing act.
Opposition Republicans accuse Democrats of allowing hundreds of thousands of foreigners into the country unimpeded and are stoking fears of a rise in crime and drug problems. A theme that can be used for election campaigns.
Meanwhile, left-wing Democrats accuse Biden of breaking his campaign promise to back away from right-wing populist Trump’s tough refugee and migration policy. While there have been calls for reform of US immigration law for a long time, a deal between Democrats and Republicans in Congress is a long way off.
The US deportation rule known as “Title 42” officially ends on Thursday at 11:59 pm Eastern Time (Friday 5:59 am CEST). Then the national coronavirus public health emergency will also expire.