DHS sending more staff to border before Title 42 ends, says Mayorkas.

Biden Administration Prepares for Expected Influx of Illegal Immigrants

The Biden administration is taking action to prepare for an anticipated surge of illegal immigrants at the southern border following the expiration of Title 42. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced on May 10 that more than 1,400 Department of Homeland Security personnel, 1,000 processing coordinators, and an additional 1,500 Department of Defense personnel will be deployed to the border.

Building Lawful Pathways

Mayorkas emphasized that the surge in personnel will allow law enforcement officers to focus on their critical mission. He also outlined the administration’s approach to building lawful pathways for people to come to the United States while imposing tougher consequences on those who choose not to use those pathways.

• Our plan will deliver results, but it will take time for those results to be fully realized.
• We expect to see large numbers of encounters at our southern border in the days and weeks after May 11.

Mayorkas also pointed out that the current situation is the result of Congress leaving a broken, outdated immigration system in place for over two decades. He called for legislative reform and additional resources to address the issue.

Tougher Consequences

Mayorkas outlined changes in how Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will proceed, moving toward using Title 8 from Title 42. This will allow the federal government to ban or expel people on public health grounds such as a pandemic like COVID-19. An individual who was removed under Title 8 is subject to at least a five-year bar on re-entry into the United States and can face criminal prosecution if they attempt to cross again.

Mayorkas clarified that individuals in the custody of CBP will be given the option to voluntarily return to their home countries. The administration’s plan will deliver results, but it will take time for those results to be fully realized.