Senate Democrats on Saturday called on the Biden administration to end the use of Title 42, a Trump-era immigration rule enacted in the early days of the pandemic to immediately expel migrants at the border under a public health emergency.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
Chuck SchumerWe can’t pass up the opportunity to lower drug prices Senate passes cybersecurity bill amid fears of Russian cyberattacks Schumer wants to confirm Biden’s Supreme Court pick by April break MORE (D-N.Y.) as well as Sens. Bob Menendez
Robert (Bob) MenendezSenate passes resolution supporting Ukraine amid invasion fears Senators urge Biden to ‘impose significant costs’ if Russia invades Ukraine Senators eye Plan B amid Russia sanctions stalemate MORE (D-N.J.), Cory Booker
Cory BookerHouse passes bill making lynching a federal hate crime A promise kept: How Biden can come away with a win this SOTU Hillicon Valley — Senators introduce online kids’ safety bill MORE (D-N.J.) and Alex Padilla
Alex PadillaDHS grants temporary immigration status to all Ukrainians in the US Overnight Health Care — Presented by Alexion — Battle lines drawn over COVID-19 funding Senate GOP passes resolution to nix COVID-19 emergency MORE (D-Calif.), issued a statement that it is time to officially end the policy.
“The continued use of Title 42 has created life-threatening conditions for vulnerable migrants, enriched human smugglers, and significantly increased the number of dangerous border crossings,” the senators said. “We urge the Biden Administration to fulfill its early promise to restore access to asylum and end the usage of Title 42 once and for all.”
The Department of Homeland Security is still operating under Title 42 two years after former President Trump
Donald TrumpFlorida GOP-led legislature passes congressional maps despite DeSantis veto threat Texas judge rules Biden administration can’t exempt migrant children from Trump-era order NYU reports spate of attacks on Asian students in the last month MORE implemented the order, expelling hundreds of thousands of migrants.
The Biden administration, however, carved out an exception for unaccompanied migrant children, but a Texas judge ruled against the exemption on Friday.
A separate judge on Friday ruled migrants can be expelled under the order, but not to countries where they face risk of persecution or torture.
In their joint statement, the senators cited last summer’s crisis at the border, when Haitian families gathered in encampments in Del Rio, Texas and were later expelled, as a concerning use of Title 42. At the time, Haiti was reeling from political chaos and natural disaster.
“We all watched in horror as thousands of Haitian families, including infants, were returned to Haiti without the opportunity to seek asylum,” the senators said. “Turning away families seeking protection from torture or persecution is not who we are.”
The lawmakers also said that the use of Title 42 needed to be reassessed as a public health measure, given that the United States appeared to be entering a new stage of the pandemic.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should review their current order given the progress our nation has made in its pandemic recovery,” the senators said. “As we emerge from this pandemic, it is time for the Administration to reinstate humanitarian protections at our borders.”
Senate Democrats on Saturday called on the Biden administration to end the use of Title 42, a Trump-era immigration rule enacted in the early days of the pandemic to immediately expel migrants at the border under a public health emergency.Senate Majority Leader Chuck SchumerChuck SchumerWe can’t pass up the opportunity to lower drug prices Senate passes cybersecurity bill amid fears of Russian cyberattacks Schumer wants to confirm Biden’s Supreme Court pick by April break MORE (D-N.Y.) as well as Sens. Bob MenendezRobert (Bob) MenendezSenate passes resolution supporting Ukraine amid invasion fears Senators urge Biden to ‘impose significant costs’ if Russia invades Ukraine Senators eye Plan B amid Russia sanctions stalemate MORE (D-N.J.), Cory BookerCory BookerHouse passes bill making lynching a federal hate crime A promise kept: How Biden can come away with a win this SOTU Hillicon Valley — Senators introduce online kids’ safety bill MORE (D-N.J.) and Alex PadillaAlex PadillaDHS grants temporary immigration status to all Ukrainians in the US Overnight Health Care — Presented by Alexion — Battle lines drawn over COVID-19 funding Senate GOP passes resolution to nix COVID-19 emergency MORE (D-Calif.), issued a statement that it is time to officially end the policy. “The continued use of Title 42 has created life-threatening conditions for vulnerable migrants, enriched human smugglers, and significantly increased the number of dangerous border crossings,” the senators said. “We urge the Biden Administration to fulfill its early promise to restore access to asylum and end the usage of Title 42 once and for all.”The Department of Homeland Security is still operating under Title 42 two years after former President TrumpDonald TrumpFlorida GOP-led legislature passes congressional maps despite DeSantis veto threat Texas judge rules Biden administration can’t exempt migrant children from Trump-era order NYU reports spate of attacks on Asian students in the last month MORE implemented the order, expelling hundreds of thousands of migrants.The Biden administration, however, carved out an exception for unaccompanied migrant children, but a Texas judge ruled against the exemption on Friday.A separate judge on Friday ruled migrants can be expelled under the order, but not to countries where they face risk of persecution or torture.In their joint statement, the senators cited last summer’s crisis at the border, when Haitian families gathered in encampments in Del Rio, Texas and were later expelled, as a concerning use of Title 42. At the time, Haiti was reeling from political chaos and natural disaster. “We all watched in horror as thousands of Haitian families, including infants, were returned to Haiti without the opportunity to seek asylum,” the senators said. “Turning away families seeking protection from torture or persecution is not who we are.”The lawmakers also said that the use of Title 42 needed to be reassessed as a public health measure, given that the United States appeared to be entering a new stage of the pandemic. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should review their current order given the progress our nation has made in its pandemic recovery,” the senators said. “As we emerge from this pandemic, it is time for the Administration to reinstate humanitarian protections at our borders.”