AURN News with Ebony McMorris

End of Title 42: What’s the Next Act for the US-Mexico Border?

Title 42, the polarizing policy that allows for the rapid expulsion of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, will end at 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Ebony McMorris
May 11, 2023

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The U.S. is putting an end to Title 42, the polarizing policy that allows for the rapid expulsion of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, at 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday. The move marks a significant shift from the stance held since March 2020, when the policy was first introduced because of public health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Currently, migrant groups, human rights activists, and international observers are keeping a close eye on what could be the aftermath of this decision.

A migrant couple struggles while carrying their baby as they approach a gate in the border fence after crossing from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico into El Paso, Texas, in the early hours of Thursday, May 11, 2023. Migrants rushed across the border hours before pandemic-related asylum restrictions were to expire Thursday, fearing that new policies would make it far more difficult to gain entry into the United States. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

Critics of Title 42 have long argued it skirted international law and humanitarian responsibility. On the other hand, proponents touted it as a necessary measure for national security and public health.

The immediate impact of this policy termination is clear: the potential for a surge in immigrants at the southern border. But the question remains, how will the system withstand the imminent influx and will it provide a more humane approach to those who are seeking refuge?

Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.

White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris is a native Washingtonian and University of South Carolina alumna. Her passion is mentoring young adults by teaching community empowerment and media education. She is an NAB member and board member of the Thurgood Marshall Center and was presented the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for contributing more than 4,000 hours of community service under the Obama Administration.