A federal judge in Louisiana has blocked the Biden administration’s decision to overturn a 42-unit health order that allowed border guards to expel tens of thousands of illegal immigrants – keeping the policy in place for hours before it expired.
U.S. District Judge Robert Somerhais issued his ruling Friday, a week after hearing arguments in an April lawsuit filed by 24 Republican Attorney Generals who sought to keep the policy in place.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last month that the policy would be lifted on May 23rd, raising fears among both Republicans and Democrats of an exponential increase in crossings at the southern border.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Title 42 has allowed border guards to expel most migrants trying to enter the United States without hearing their asylum applications.
Robert R. Somerhais issued his decision for Title 42 on Friday. Harry Hamburg / AP
According to official estimates, more than 1.7 million migrants have been removed under the policy since it was implemented.
Somerhace, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, first issued a temporary restraining order in April to prevent the repeal of Title 42 before ruling on the state AG case.
The decision to abolish Title 42 has been strongly criticized by border officials, even as current migration levels increase.
In April, customs and border protection reported a record high of 234,088 repeat and unique encounters with migrants at the southern border – but only 97,000 were removed under Title 42.
Migrants used a makeshift raft to illegally cross the Suchiate River from Tecun Uman in Guatemala to Ciudad Hidalgo in Mexico on May 17. Stringer / AFP via Getty Images Migrants cross the Rio Bravo to become agents of the US Border Patrol while seeking asylum on May 19. Go Nakamura / New York Post
If the order is revoked, Interior Ministry Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned that up to 18,000 could cross the border every day.
Despite fears, the Biden administration has repeatedly defended the decision to scrap the policy, with former White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki urging Congress to take action if the policy is to remain in place.
Asylum-seeking migrants are crossing the Paso Del Norte International Bridge to enter Mexico after being deported from the United States on May 19. Go Nakamura / New York Post Several makeshift rafts are used to cross from Guatemala to Mexico on May 17. Stringer / AFP via Getty Images
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