Arizona’s leaders are calling for reconsideration of the Biden Administration’s decision to end pandemic restrictions that have acted to slow the wave of migrants pouring across the southern border.
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) announced its determination that it will, effective May 23, 2022, terminate those pandemic restriction embodied in Title 42.
Under Title 42 authority, the CDC has, since March 2020, required the expulsion of unauthorized single adults and family units arriving at the land borders in order to protect against the spread of COVID-19.
“In Arizona, our brave law enforcement professionals are working hard to protect border communities, all Arizonans and migrants,” said Governor Doug Ducey in a press release. “Yet the worst border crisis in over 20 years continues to receive no attention from the federal government. The Biden administration and Congress have turned a blind eye to our southern border for over a year now, and it’s devastating our communities.”
“Sadly, our courageous men and women in local law-enforcement who are working tirelessly to protect our border, are doing so with no help whatsoever from President Biden. His incompetence has exacerbated this crisis,” said Arizona State Senate President Karen Fann.
“Title 42 is one of the last measures still in place that helps our border agents do their jobs — and it’s only still in effect because of the advocacy of border governors like Governor Abbott and myself,” said Ducey, who accused Biden of “trying to repeal it to make a political statement.”
“Title 42 allows federal officials to prohibit the entry of those who potentially pose a health risk. Even as we emerge out of the pandemic, this is a no-brainer policy that protects the health and well-being of American citizens. The removal of Title 42 will cause considerable harm to Arizona’s border communities, our state and our entire country.”
“Customs and Border Protection since October 1, 2021 has encountered over 830,000 migrants — more than double the number at this time last year, and four times the number two years ago,” concluded Ducey.
“We are greatly frustrated with a Biden Administration move to rescind Title 42 USC 265, which currently allows for rapid explosion of migrants at the border and blocks them from entering,” said Fann. “The policy was put into place to protect the health of our citizens. Removing it now would be detrimental to our state and our nation.”
According to Fann, “once the order from the CDC lifts on May 23, we anticipate illegal immigration in Arizona will subsequently double. Currently there are reports of thousands of migrants just south of the border to cross illegally.”