U.S. reportedly mulling ending Title 42 border expulsion in May

The Biden administration might end a Trump-era immigration rule that allows the U.S. to “quickly expel migrants and asylum-seekers” by late May, several individuals with knowledge of the plans told CBS News.

Ending the policy, known as Title 42, “would be a major shift in U.S. border policy,” says CBS News. The tentative decision arrives after two March court rulings “dealt a major blow” to the administration’s “plan to retain the expulsions,” which started in March 2020 in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The order has given border officials the power to “rapidly expel migrants” for reasons of public health.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is in charge of reviewing the rule every 60 days to determine whether it is still necessary, with the latest reassessment due Wednesday, CBS News notes. CDC spokesperson Kristen Nordlund said the new review was not yet finalized and that the agency would “release more information later this week.”

In the event the policy is lifted, Department of Homeland Security officials “have been preparing for a potential sharp increase in border arrivals.” In some scenarios, 12,000 to 18,000 migrants could enter U.S. custody daily, likely overwhelming border agents and necessitating added federal help.

The rule was always meant to be temporary, however, and its continued implementation has not been without backlash.

For example, ACLU lawyer Lee Gerernt welcomed the possibility of Title 42’s termination, but said it was “highly regrettable” that the Biden administration didn’t do away with the rule earlier. Read more at CBS News.

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