Title 42 expansion causing migrant slowdown in Yuma

36% of migrants apprehended in December would now be expelled if apprehended in January

YUMA, Ariz. (KECY, KYMA) - The Biden Administration made a deal with Mexico to include Nicaraguans and Cubans for Title 42 expulsions to Mexico.

Leading to a decrease in local border crossings this month.

As migrants from those countries accounted for 36% of Yuma Sector apprehensions last month.

CBP data shows 11,083 Nicaraguans and Cubans were apprehended in Yuma last month.

I spoke to one of them on December 1, Oberlin Garcia-Suarez from Cuba.

Who told me he was fleeing political oppression.

“In our country, there is a dictatorship. They put us in jail if we think against them,” Garcia-Suarez said.

But now, migrants like Garcia-Suarez would be promptly sent back to Mexico by local agents if they were apprehended at the border.

Due to new asylum rules being implemented by the Biden Administration.

“Do not, do not just show up at the border. Stay where you are and apply legally from there," President Joe Biden said on January 5th when announcing the expansion.

The legal pathways come with the expansion of Title 42.

Migrants from the newly added countries can seek asylum using an app called CBP One.

Or get sponsorship from private American citizens.

“It’s a good thing we’re expanding processing at ports of entry, it prevents asylum seekers from needing to go through cartels and smugglers to cross without authorization,” Danilo Zak with the National Immigration Forum said.

But he adds the move may not be a permanent solution, because Title 42 still faces court challenges, and migrants have difficulty using the app.

Saying ultimately it’s congress that needs to come together to fix the broken border.

“Congress needs to get to work building up processing at ports of entry, improving infrastructure, getting more resources there to work on claims. That's where we need to go from here," Zak said.

The Biden Administration will argue in federal court on March 1 for their right to end Title 42.