- House Republicans set to vote on border security package as Title 42 nears end
- Lawmakers will vote on the HR 2 bill on Thursday, the same day that the Trump-era policy expires
- Authorities plan to address the migrant crisis by codifying some programs under the Title 42 policy
House Republicans are set to vote on a border security package as Title 42 is nearing its end in an attempt to address the so-called migrant crisis that has hounded the southern border.
Lawmakers will vote on Thursday, which falls on the same day as the end of the policy that has allowed the United States to quickly expel certain migrants from entering the country. The bill is HR 2 and would codify some of the border programs that Title 42 enacted under former President Donald Trump.
Border Security Package
These will include the "Remain in Mexico" policy, which requires all migrants to stay in Mexico as they go through the asylum process at the border. Furthermore, HR 2 would allocate more resources to security at the southern border, restart the border wall construction, deploy more border personnel, and bolster border technology, as per CNN.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said that the GOP already has the necessary votes to pass the legislation in the chamber. This was despite internal party concerns regarding how strict some policies in the bill should be.
The Republican lawmaker's comments came after weeks of intra-party negotiations that culminated in softening some provisions in the HR 2 bill to get support from some GOP members. These include Texas Reps. Chip Roy and Tony Gonzalez, and several moderate Republicans.
Despite gaining enough support to pass the Republican-led House, the bill is not expected to pass through the Democrat-led Senate. Furthermore, the vote timing coincided with the end of the Title 42 policy.
Title 42 Nears End
The Trump-era policy first came into effect three years ago and has since faced widespread criticism from immigrant advocates and some Democratic lawmakers. According to BBC, they believed that it failed to prevent many asylum seekers from coming into the country.
On the other hand, Republican lawmakers have argued that Title 42 should remain in place to prevent illegal border crossings. The situation has fueled an increasingly tense and politicized immigration debate before the 2024 elections.
After Title 42 expires, border officials will have to resort to the usual laws they have used to handle illegal border crossings. These usually take longer, and the prolonged administrative processing is expected to lead to migrants staying in holding facilities longer.
After those facilities reach their maximum capacity, the situation makes it more likely for people to suffer inhumane conditions when they crowd together under bridges and outside designated shelters.
The biggest challenge for officials in the days and weeks following the end of Title 42 is managing the high numbers of migrants in a safe and orderly way. United States President Joe Biden's administration has already rolled out new policies to curb illegal crossings at the border, said the New York Times.
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