Staggering: Biden Administration, Silent on Preparation of Title 42 Expiration

The White House has assured the American people that measures are being taken before the scheduled expiration of Title 42 on December 21st to prevent an increase in illegal border crossings. The administration of President Biden has yet to produce any tangible steps they say they will take, although they have stated what those steps are.

Strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council, John Kirby, told reporters on Friday that preparations have been and will be made for its expiration next week. He continued by saying that proper measures are being taken to prepare for that deadline to be met. Next week, the public will hear more from them, specifically from the Department of Homeland Security, about the specifics of these preparations.

Legal challenges have forced the Biden administration to stop returning migrants to Mexico in violation of Title 42, a public health decree in effect since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a virtual press conference on Friday, Kirby assured reporters that the government is still negotiating for extra funding to improve immigration policies and strengthen border security. Furthermore, they have been communicating with Western Hemisphere heads of state to coordinate efforts. When President Guillermo Lasso meets with President Joe Biden on Monday, they will discuss this topic. They are working with Mexico and Guatemala to combat smuggling and are doing all within their power to counter the traffickers’ lies.

Once Title 42 is no longer in effect, the Department of Homeland Security predicts that between 9,000 and 15,000 migrants will cross the border each day.

While in El Paso, Texas, earlier this month, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas made a number of public pronouncements about the upcoming expiration of Title 42. He said that if the Title 42 order is lifted, DHS will use its established Title 8 authorities to deal with anybody found at the border without the necessary documentation. These capabilities include the power to prevent someone from reentering the country for five years after removal. In addition, Mayorkas said, the Department of Homeland Security can expeditiously repatriate people who want to remain in the United States without legal basis by placing them in accelerated removal.

The press secretary for the White House, Karine Jean-Pierre, fielded several inquiries about the impending termination of Title 42. However, she was vague when asked about the precise measures that the Biden administration would take to deal with the anticipated increase in the number of illegal immigrants. Jean-Pierre told the press that the administration was working on a plan to deal with illegal border crossers after December 21st.