Twitter recently applauded the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Trump-era immigration policy, Title 42, that helped the government secure the southern border.
The border crisis has worsened over the past year as President Joe Biden attempts to deflect criticism for not making a personal visit to the border. Additionally, border crossings have surged to record levels, with Title 42 set to expire on December 21.
The Supreme Court stepped in only two days before the order expired. The Court’s decision came after 19 states requested the court issue an emergency stay on the reversal of the policy.
“Thank God,” responded Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk to the news.
Republican Texas Governor Gregg Abbott said the decision by the Supreme Court was a victory for preventing illegal immigration in a tweet that went viral with over 28,000 likes on Twitter. “Texas and other states are insisting that the Court leave Title 42 in place. Today’s order is a step in that direction. This helps prevent illegal immigration.”
The Title 42 policy has been used to avert migrants over 2.5 million times. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has said that this year alone, migrant numbers for FY 2023, which started in October, are more than 485,000. Congressman Tim Scott reacted to the Supreme Court’s decision by saying, “Good. Title 42 will protect our communities from Biden’s reckless border policies.”
Tomi Lahren, Fox News Commentator, also commended the decision; however, she questioned what would happen beyond when the Supreme Court’s Title 42 stay expires. “Title 42 has been saved for now; It’s only a matter of time before it expires. Then what? Open the floodgates?!”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the motion with the Supreme Court that triggered the emergency stay and emphasized that keeping Title 42 in place for longer would be a “fight.”
“The fight to keep Title 42 in place continues. I will continue to do everything I can in Court to ensure our border is secure.”
Chief Justice John Roberts’ order comes as communities along the southern U.S.-Mexico border have braced themselves, scrambling to prepare for the predicted surge of migrants in anticipation of Title 42’s end.
Justice John Roberts grants stay ahead of expiration of Title 42
In the one-page order, Justice Roberts granted the stay pending future orders while asking the government for a response by Tuesday at 5 p.m., only hours before the expiration on Wednesday.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the order “will remain in effect at this time, and individuals who attempt to enter the United States unlawfully will continue to be expelled to Mexico.”
“While this stage of the litigation proceeds, we will continue our preparations to manage the border in a safe, orderly, and humane way when the Title 42 public health order lifts,” said the DHS. “We urge Congress to use this time to provide the funds we have requested for border security and management and advance the comprehensive immigration measures President Biden proposed on his first day in office.”
Title 42’s immigration restrictions were put in place under then-President Trump in March 2020 during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and have prevented hundreds of thousands of migrants from seeking and gaining asylum in the United States in recent years. However, as they are set to expire, thousands of migrants are stuffed into shelters along the border between Mexico and the United States.
Ciudad Juarez in Mexico and El Paso, Texas, are preparing for as many as 5,000 additional migrants a day in anticipation ahead of Title 42’s expiration. Mayor of El Paso Oscar Leeser issued an emergency declaration to access different state and local resources for building shelters and other additional aid that is urgently needed.
Conservative-leaning states have argued that lifting Title 42 will cause a more significant surge of migrants into the states and take a massive toll on government services like law enforcement or health care. They also accuse the federal government of having no plans to deal with a steep increase in migrants.
