April 13, 2023
With the end of Title 42 less than one month away, the Biden Administration can and must act now to implement countermeasures that will both restore orderly processing at the border and help ensure the U.S. government’s humane reception and care of migrant children.
Unaccompanied children and those with families continue to arrive in record numbers; this will not change when Title 42 is lifted or if the new asylum rule is implemented. It is more important than ever to ensure that all possible efficiencies and orderly procedures are put in place before any new border policies are enacted. This will reduce pressure on the overall system. While these children are largely exempt from Title 42, the family separations resulting from the policy and dangerous waiting conditions in Mexico often render children unaccompanied.
There are measures that the Biden Administration has the resources and authority to do now to prepare for the lifting of Title 42 and to ensure the protection of unaccompanied children. They include:
