Dear John,
It was recently announced that the Biden Administration plans to end the public health policy, Title 42, on May 23, 2022. This public health policy was put into place during the COVID-19 pandemic under the Trump administration. In light of this, attention has been shifted to our southern border.
The End of Title 42 and What It Means for Border Security
Since Biden took office, there has been an influx in undocumented migrants illegally crossing the southern border. Ending Title 42 will only heighten this problem.
Title 42 was put into place during the Trump administration during the COVID-19 pandemic to help stop the spread of COVID-19 within crowded Border Patrol facilities.
The White House has acknowledged that it is preparing for an increase in people at the border, a result of the termination of this policy. Officials who patrol the southern border, have already been tasked with overseeing record-breaking numbers of undocumented individuals crossing the border.
With bipartisan pushback of terminating Title 42, both Republicans and Democrats are voicing concerns regarding the anticipated influx of people trying to cross the southern border and question the White House’s plans to replace the policy.
The Current State of Our Southern Border
In March of this year, there were 221,303 migrant encounters at the southern border, a 33% increase from February. Even worse, for the last year, there have been over 150,000 encounters with migrants at the border, a 542% increase from 2020.
Since Biden took office, over 2.4 million illegal immigrants have also been apprehended at the border, including 42 people on the terrorist watchlist. Unfortunately, we don’t know how many actually made it through. I commend CBP's efforts to protect our borders, but we need to continue enhancing security.
With increasing numbers of individuals attempting to cross the border illegally, officials tasked with guarding the boarder have been put in the difficult position of having to protect these individuals. On Friday, April 22, SPC Bishop Evans, a Texas National Guardsman, tragically died, from drowning in the Rio Grande River while attempting to save two migrants who were illegally crossing the border as part of an “illicit transnational narcotics trafficking.” The two individuals survived.
I send my condolences to the family and friends of SPC Bishop Evans. He will be forever remembered as a selfless patriot who made the ultimate sacrifice. His service will never be in vain.
What Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Has to Say About the Current State of the Southern Border
In his testimony in front of the House Judiciary Committee, Mayorkas was asked by Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-04) about the 42 individuals on the Terror Watch List who were apprehended at the border. It is unfortunate that Secretary Mayorkas could not provide a straightforward answer on whether they successfully crossed our southern border.
This alarmed many members of the committee, especially Rep. Jordan who continued to press him for answers. I am also incredibly disappointed in this Administration’s inability to enforce our rule of law and reform our immigration system. Border security is national security, and it’s time we take this border crisis seriously.
The state of our southern border is worse than ever and will only decline further with the lifting of Title 42. I will do all I can to work across the aisle on the House Armed Services Committee and the Problem Solvers Caucus, both of which I am a member, to improve the safety and well-being of all Americans, and it starts with securing our southern border.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my office at (402) 938-0300, or contact my office online at https://bacon.house.gov/contact/.
Sincerely,
Don Bacon
