Title 42, a pandemic-era policy, allows the executive branch to cite public health as grounds to block would-be illegal immigrants from crossing the border… but under President Joe Biden, Title 42 is set to expire on May 11.
Prepared for the end of Title 42, thousands of migrants may be lining up at the border… but House Republicans are stepping up.
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House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., has a plan. He wants to combine three existing bills already reported to be moving through committees, from a Judiciary Committee bill restricting asylum-seeking to a Homeland Security Committee bill requiring Biden to complete the border wall.
“The committees of jurisdiction – Judiciary Committee, Homeland Security Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee – all have taken action now, over the last few weeks, to put together what I would call the strongest border security package that Congress has ever taken up,” Scalise said at a press conference Thursday.
“When we return in May – the same week that Title 42 expires – we’re going to bring a border security package and pass it through this House of Representatives.”
The House is scheduled to reconvene on May 9, two days before the end of Title 42.
Take a look —
With Title 42 set to end next month, the Biden administration on Thursday announced measures meant to stop illegals from crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, both by cracking down on many of those who do come, and by creating new pathways meant to offer an alternative to the dangerous journey.
The administration claims it will swiftly screen migrants seeking asylum at the border itself, quickly deport those deemed as not being qualified, and penalize people who cross illegally into the U.S. or illegally through another country on their way to the U.S. border.
The effort also includes opening processing centers outside the United States. The first processing centers will open in Guatemala and Colombia, with others expected to follow.
Currently, the processing centers are already operating close to their maximum capacity, according to a report from NBC News. Earlier this month, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Troy Miller reportedly testified that he expects the current flow of migrants to double after the end of Title 42.
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The border has vexed Biden throughout his presidency, with top GOP leaders hammering him as soft on border security.
The White House has blamed Congress for the border situation, saying it has been unable to come to an agreement on comprehensive illegal immigration reform.
However, the topic isn’t going away. As he announces his 2024 reelection bid, Biden is trying to strike a balance that could be difficult to achieve, particularly if mobs of illegals flood over the border after May 11.
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article.