According to government officials, the number of migrants arriving at the US southern border has dropped by 50% in the previous three days compared to the days preceding the end of Title 42.
“Over the past two days, the United States Border Patrol has experienced a 50 percent drop in the number of encounters versus what we were experiencing earlier in the week before Title 42 ended at midnight on Thursday,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was quoted as saying by CNN.
According to Blas Nunez-Neto, assistant secretary for border and immigration policy at the Department of Homeland Security, the pandemic-era law expired at midnight last Thursday, and border officers have encountered somewhat less than 5,000 people every day since then.
Despite the fact that the number of migrants in US custody has dropped significantly since last week, a large number of them remain. The administration is currently facing a lawsuit that might limit its authority to release refugees.
According to sources, more than 45,000 migrants may remain in prison by the end of the month if the rights to release migrants when facilities are overcrowded are restricted.
Biden was unsure how to handle the surge
Even President Joe Biden admitted that the picture was not looking good as the pandemic-era regulation came to an end. The looming migrant influx, according to Biden, will be “chaotic for a while,” and he is unsure if the US is prepared for it.
“We’ve gotten overwhelming cooperation from Mexico. We also are in the process of setting up offices in Colombia and other places where you could – or someone seeking asylum can go first. So, it remains to be seen. It’s going to be chaotic for a while,” Biden told reporters last week.
Meanwhile, Republican senators have cautioned that a surge is possible, and the Biden administration must not become complacent.
What exactly was Title 42?
Title 42 travel restrictions were imposed by former President Donald Trump during his presidency in 2020. The order was passed after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the legislation was needed to stem the spread of coronavirus.