After months of controversy regarding former President Donald Trump’s Title 42 which was put into action in order to restrict entry into the United States for public health reasons, the policy has been temporarily extended. Title 42 has made it possible for the United States to suspend entry into the nation for over a million immigrants across the Southern border due to health measures. This policy was set to end on December 21st, 2022, after Federal Judge Emmet Sullivan deemed it as arbitrary in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act. According to him, Title 42 should no longer be in place because of all of the advancements regarding COVID-19, the health measure it was established to protect in the first place.
As a result of the judge’s ruling, a coalition of nineteen Republican-led states petitioned the Supreme Court to maintain the legislation, and Chief Justice John Roberts issued an administrative stay to keep it in place for the time being. Their request was granted by the Supreme Court, therefore the pandemic border restriction policy will continue for now.
Although, it is a triumph for Republican authorities who contend that removing the limitations will probably result in a spike in the migrant crisis along the southern border. The delay is another blow to immigration activists, who have long claimed that Title 42 was created with the express purpose of preventing access to safeguards for those seeking refuge during the worst of the outbreak.