Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas released a statement on April 1, 2022, in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) determination that effective May 23, 2022, it will terminate its Title 42 public health order requiring the expulsion of unauthorized single adults and family units arriving at land borders to protect against the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.
According to reports, a migrant surge is possible once Title 42 is lifted, and misinformation is a possibility. “Title 42 remains in place until May 23 and, until then, DHS will continue to expel single adults and families encountered at the southwest border,” he warned. Once the Title 42 order is no longer in place, he said, DHS will process individuals encountered at the border “pursuant to Title 8, which is the standard procedure we use to place individuals in removal proceedings. Nonetheless, we know that smugglers will spread misinformation to take advantage of vulnerable migrants. Let me be clear: those unable to establish a legal basis to remain in the United States will be removed.”
Secretary Mayorkas said DHS is increasing its capacity to process new arrivals, evaluate asylum requests, and quickly remove those who do not qualify. DHS will increase personnel and resources as needed and has redeployed more than 600 law enforcement officers to the southwest border, he said. The CDC said, “With CDC’s assistance and guidance, DHS has and will implement additional COVID-19 mitigation procedures.” CDC said that the termination “will be implemented on May 23, 2022, to enable DHS time to implement appropriate COVID-19 mitigation protocols, such as scaling up a program to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to migrants and prepare for resumption of regular migration under Title 8.”
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