The end of the controversial Trump-era immigration policy Title 42 has reignited concerns about an impending crisis at the southern border. So far, the Biden administration’s plans to mitigate a sudden influx of migrants appear to be working, with arrivals at or below average levels in recent months. But arrivals aren’t the only thing at issue: there are still tens of thousands of migrants awaiting processing in overcrowded facilities — and thousands more in legal limbo waiting to enter the US in Mexico.
The so-called Title 42 policy — first implemented by Trump under the dubious rationale of curbing the spread of Covid-19, and maintained for more than two years by President Joe Biden — allowed the US to essentially shut the door on most migrants arriving at the southern border. Migrants have been quickly expelled more than 2.8 million times under the policy since 2020, with many being expelled multiple times after attempting to cross the border again. Title 42 ended Thursday night, along with the expiration of the national emergency related to the pandemic.
The Biden administration had been planning for that moment for more than a year, introducing new legal pathways for migrants, devising a scheme under which it aimed to quickly and safely process them, and surging resources and personnel to the southern border to make that happen.
Though some were skeptical that the administration had done enough to prepare, there hasn’t been a surge of migrants at the border in the days since Title 42 expired. Nevertheless, officials continue to anticipate a spike in border crossings, while Republicans and some moderate Democrats have warned of the disastrous potential consequences for border states and communities, arguing that Title 42 or something like it should still be in place.
Meanwhile, progressives and immigrant advocates have raised the alarm on conditions for migrants in US custody and for those who are still waiting for a chance to enter the US,…
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