Land ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border may experience delays and disruptions due to the end of the Centers for Disease Control’s temporary Title 42 public order, that came into effect May 11.
Title 42 is the public health order that applies to migrants without proper travel documents. U.S. citizens should plan for longer-than-usual wait times, possible closures, and other potential disruptions to travel at land ports of entry, says the Department of Homeland Security.
U.S. officials admit that lifting Title 42 is likely to spur a significant increase in the number of migrants trying to cross into the United States. The Biden administration and federal agencies have laid out plans and policies related to border security and migrant processing ahead of Title 42’s end, according to news reports and press releases. These include sending more troops to the border, reverting back to standard immigration law and tightening measures for asylum seekers.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said additional National Guard troops are being sent to the south of Mexico to protect migrants amid an increase in people smugglers offering to take migrants to the United States.