U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-1st dist.) and several colleagues introduced the Public Health and Border Security Act of 2022. The bill would prevent President Biden from lifting existing Title 42 immigration restrictions without a plan in place from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services to address the expected surge of migrants at the Southern border.
“It is increasingly apparent that the administration’s decision to end Title 42 without replacing it with a comprehensive plan to secure our southern border will only put further strain on our broken immigration system,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’ve witnessed firsthand the threats our nation faces from a porous border and a fragmented immigration system, and that’s why we must demand accountability from the administration with respect to implementing a workable plan that will ensure the humane treatment of migrants and keep our border and neighboring communities safe and secure.”
The bill would prohibit the Biden administration from ending Title 42 until 60 days after formally ending the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration. Within 30 days of ending the public health emergency, the president must submit a plan to process the migrant surge to Congress.
Title 42 is a provision of the Public Health Service Act of 1944. In March 2020, the Trump administration invoked Title 42 to prevent the spread of COVID-19, preventing migrants presenting themselves at the border for asylum from remaining in the country while their cases were processed. The Biden administration had largely continued the Trump administration’s policy, but announced that it will begin rolling back the policy in May.
