WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Peter Meijer (R-MI) this week joined 62 other House Republicans in sending a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas seeking answers on the Biden Administration’s plans to secure the border and support Customs and Border Protection (CBP) after the Title 42 policy is lifted. The letter follows the Administration’s announcement that it will suspend enforcement of Title 42 on May 23 of this year. The letter was led by Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA).
Background:
In the letter, the lawmakers asked the Administration to answer five specific questions regarding a plan for dealing with the potential surge in illegal border crossings:
- How does DHS plan to screen migrants for COVID-19 and other communicable diseases? What is the Department’s testing capacity?
- Will a quarantine period be required for unvaccinated migrants? If so, where will they be quarantined?
- Will COVID-19 vaccination be administered to all migrants? If so, will these vaccinations be voluntary?
- What will the Department do with migrants who test positive for COVID-19? How will DHS officers and agents be protected from COVID-19 positive migrants?
- Under what circumstances will you request resources and additional personnel from other U.S. government agencies?
Title 42 is a provision included in the Public Health Service Act of 1944 that permits federal health officials to prohibit entry of individuals and goods from foreign countries when there is a communicable disease present. In March of 2020, the Trump Administration implemented Title 42 to curb the number of illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to CBP data, more than 1.7 million migrants who attempted to enter the U.S. illegally have been expelled under Title 42 since March 2020.
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