What to know about Title 42: How its end could affect immigration

SAN ANTONIO – There’s a lot of mention of “Title 42″ lately. With it comes images of crowds of people crossing or on the banks of the Rio Grande, which divides the U.S. and Mexico. As it nears a potential end next Thursday, it might be a good time to understand what it’s all about.

‘Risk it all’: Migrant surge as US prepares for Title 42 end

What is Title 42?

Title 42 is a part of U.S. law that deals with public health, social welfare and civil rights. It gives the federal government the authority to take emergency action to keep communicable diseases out of the country. Before President Donald Trump used it in 2020, it had been used only in 1929 to keep ships from China and the Philippines from entering U.S. ports during a meningitis outbreak.

As Title 42 comes to an end, El Paso declares state of emergency

Trump invoked the law when the coronavirus pandemic broke out, ostensibly to prevent the spread of Covid, but its implementation allowed the Trump administration to expel migrants more quickly without having to consider them for asylum, and it has continued under the Biden administration.

As US prepares to end rapid expulsions of migrants, a Venezuelan family decides to risk crossing the border

Read the full report from NBC News.

RELATED LINKS

• Texas progressives want Title 42 ended, highlighting wide ideological gulf on Congressional immigration deal
• US Supreme Court rules to keep Title 42, the pandemic-era policy to quickly turn away migrants, for now
• Immigration policy, Texas Senate’s new bill could impact Harris Co., debt ceiling fight, and more on Houston Newsmakers
• Legal battle continues over use of Title 42 along the border
• How will asylum work after Title 42 ends? No one knows yet