A major immigration policy, Title 42, is set to lapse on May 11.
It is the policy which allowed the rejection of up to hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers at the border. It was used by the Trump administration during the height of the pandemic, citing the need to stop the spread of the virus.
But it is now April 2023, and the policy is set to expire. What can we expect to happen?
Just as every time immigration policy loosens up, we can expect a downpour of asylum seekers at the border.
This time, immigration officers cannot just simply turn them away, and so we expect the buildup of a crowd at the border – all now seeing a path towards legal migration.
Why does this matter? With the expected flood of people at the border, it means thousands if not tens of thousands of more immigration applications.
This volume can stress and even overwhelm the system at the border and the country.
More than the logistics, whatever happens at the border usually influences public and political opinion about immigration and can affect future immigration policies. This means anyone who cares about immigration should tune in to what happens next.
The Biden administration is bracing for this by drafting new policies such as additional screening for asylum-seekers and extending more resources at the border.
Is this enough?
These are short-term solutions that, for the president, can be enough for now. How will this affect your immigration application? Consult your trusted immigration lawyer today.
