The so-called Title 42 rule was introduced in 2020 under former US President Donald Trump and was due to expire last week. With reference to the corona pandemic, it enables migrants apprehended at the US border with Mexico to be turned away immediately. In a petition to the Supreme Court, 19 US states said they would face a flood of migrants if Title 42 were lifted.
The Supreme Court granted the states’ motion by a majority of five to four judges. The court decided that the regulation will remain in force pending a landmark ruling. Negotiations on this are scheduled to begin in February.
Human rights organizations sharply criticize the regulation
In the past few days and weeks, a particularly large number of migrants from Latin and Central America had come to the southern border of the USA, apparently because they expected the Title 42 regulation to be abolished and thus easier entry conditions. The mayor of the border city of El Paso declared a state of emergency in view of the large number of people. The US government stressed that it was prepared for the elimination of Title 42.
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Migration to the US: state of emergency in the border town of El Paso
despair on both sides
A Haitian family walks along the El Paso border fence after crossing the Rio Grande, called the Rio Bravo in Mexico. There is now desperation on the US side of the Wall: Over the weekend, the mayor of El Paso declared a state of emergency in view of the large number of migrants crossing the border.
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Migration to the US: state of emergency in the border town of El Paso
Fort USA
Dystopian sight in Eagle Pass, Texas: A massive barbed wire fence is supposed to prevent crossing the border. In the United States, the controversial Title 42 migration regulation introduced by ex-President Donald Trump should actually be phased out. It allows authorities to reject migrants with reference to the corona pandemic and thus deny them the opportunity to apply for asylum.
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Migration to the US: state of emergency in the border town of El Paso
“Right time for the state of emergency”
But the Supreme Court stopped the plan. Title 42 will continue for the time being. “As we see more and more asylum seekers coming into our community and as temperatures drop, we thought now was the right time to declare a state of emergency,” said El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser, whose city sits on the Rio Grande, the border river between Mexico and the US state of Texas.
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Migration to the US: state of emergency in the border town of El Paso
A little bit of hope
Trump’s actions had been sharply criticized, and it was only in November that a court declared the regulation inadmissible. Hundreds of thousands had already been deported on their basis. Since then, many refugees have been living in tent camps along the border fence – like this Venezuelan migrant with his little daughter. He is one of thousands waiting to apply for asylum.
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Migration to the US: state of emergency in the border town of El Paso
Piggyback to a better life
In the US, it is expected that the number of asylum seekers will rise sharply once Title 42 is no longer in force. Mayor Leeser said he expects up to 6,000 new arrivals in El Paso per day. In the past few days, an unusually large number of people have crossed the border. However, it is currently completely unclear whether and when the regulation will actually be overturned.
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Migration to the US: state of emergency in the border town of El Paso
The direction is clear, but…
.. the way to the USA is dangerous: Refugees from South America, like this Venezuelan group, cross half a continent on foot. On their way lie swamps, rainforests, mountains and deserts. But criminal gangs also threaten people trying to flee. In a “caravan” like this, they hope for a little more protection.
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Migration to the US: state of emergency in the border town of El Paso
Deadly Dream
Crosses on the border fence near Tijuana commemorate those who died trying to escape. In June, 53 migrants were found dead in a truck in Texas, dying of heat exhaustion and dehydration. Since 2014, around 6,500 migrants have been reported dead or missing in Latin America and the US southern border.
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Migration to the US: state of emergency in the border town of El Paso
At the Finish
Exhausted and relieved: This family just crossed the Rio Grande and reached El Paso. With the declaration of a state of emergency, the city now has the option to convert certain facilities into shelters. She can also request additional staff from the state of Texas to care for and house the people. The state of emergency will initially apply for seven days.
Author: Nele Jensch
Hundreds of thousands of people have already been deported on the southern border of the USA on the basis of the regulation. Human rights organizations have long criticized the regulation. They argue that people are being deprived of the right to apply for asylum under a health policy pretext.
Biden government long inactive
Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, did nothing to abolish the regulation until spring 2022. A first attempt failed in May when a federal judge in the southern state of Louisiana vetoed a lawsuit by conservative states. The 19 states then filed an urgent appeal with the Supreme Court against the decision of a federal judge in the capital Washington in November that the regulation must end on Wednesday before Christmas.
Refugee and migration policy is a highly charged political issue in the United States. Trump’s Republicans accuse Biden and his Democrats of letting people into the country uncontrolled and thus harming the United States.
ww/pgr (dpa, afp)
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