New bill would delay end of Title 42
The policy is slated to end May 23rd but even with it still in place, local law enforcement is leaving migrants at the wall unattended.
YUMA, Ariz. (KECY, KYMA) - U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona submitted a bill that if passed could delay the end of Title 42.
The health law used to deport over a million migrants is set to expire May 23rd and the senators also want a contingency plan for what the administration will do after the policy ends.
Thursday morning a Yuma Sector Border Patrol agent loaded up his van with asylum seekers but didn't have enough room for all of them.
He drives into town, and leaves the rest of the group waiting for the next ride.
Many of the migrants at our border say they're looking for a new life in the United States and say their trips were dangerous, as well as costly.
"In a lot of places they asked for money, they took $2,000 from us,” Colombian Immigrant Brandon Alexis Prasilia said.
"It was a dangerous path because they asked for a lot of money and would look at you bad because they knew we weren’t from there,” Juan Ortiz, from Preu, said.
However, Juan and Brandon have never heard of Title 42.
Under the bill, the policy, which has expelled 1.7 million migrants at the southern border would be extended 60 days after the president decides to end the National Covid - 19 emergency.
On top of that, the Department of Homeland Security would have to present a contingency plan to congress 30 days before Title 42 ends, explaining how DHS would deal with what is expected to be a surge in migrants once the policy expires.
Meanwhile, other states are coming up with their own solutions.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott wants to put the migrants on buses, and send them to D.C.
"We are sending them to the united states capitol, where the Biden administration will be able to more immediately address the needs of the people that they are allowing to come across our border," Abbott said.
For now, Title 42 is still slated to end on May 23rd.
Department of Homeland Security representatives has accepted an invite to a border hearing hosted by Senator Sinema in may, where she expects to hear what the department plans to do about this expected influx in asylum seekers.
