Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) this week pushed to block President Biden’s “outrageous” decision to cancel Title 42—the immigration policy invoked by the Trump Administration to help mitigate the unprecedented surge in illegal border crossings.

To address this, Smith has co-sponsored legislation—H.R. 7359—that would extend Title 42 in order to combat the deadly amount of fentanyl pouring across the border, which has spiked dramatically in the past 12 months.

“President Biden’s disastrous border policies constitute a grave national security and humanitarian crisis that continues to put the lives of so many at risk,” said Rep. Smith, who has voted nearly 90 times to construct border security barriers.

“Instead of working to secure our border, President Biden has inexplicably decided to cancel Title 42, which has proven to be an effective policy to help law enforcement officials vet and process the record number of illegal border crossings effectively and efficiently,” said Smith.

Smith’s efforts come as senior Biden officials reportedly brace for a massive influx of hundreds of thousands of migrants in the wake of the President Biden’s decision to revoke the Trump immigration policy in May.

Implemented by President Trump in March 2020, Title 42 gives federal officials expanded authority to expedite the removal of those who cross the border illegally and pose a serious risk to public health—which could include the trafficking of women and children, or the dangerous levels of fentanyl being smuggled into the country.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, seizures of fentanyl have more than doubled in the past year with more than 11,200 pounds of the lethal drug confiscated by border patrol agents in 2021—enough to kill the entire U.S. population seven times over.

Smith also recently joined 77 House colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, urging for the continuation of Title 42 to help mitigate the serious risks posed by the unprecedented surge in illegal border crossings.

“While our Nation continues its longstanding tradition to welcome those in search of a better life for them and their families, we must ensure that our immigration policies do not jeopardize the safety of the American people,” said Smith.

During the 2021 fiscal year, more than 1.7 million migrants were arrested at the U.S. southern border—the highest number ever according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

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