Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) argued Sunday that border crossings at the Texas-Mexico border are getting worse as Title 42, a federal rule that has allowed the government to strictly regulate border entries, gets set to expire next month.
Title 42 is a controversial pandemic-era policy that has allowed the federal government to expel migrants who have come to the border claiming asylum. The Biden administration has continued to defend the use of the policy, as immigration advocates argue it is a violation of federal and international law.
But the policy is set to expire on May 11, with the federal government prepping what is expected to be an influx of arrivals when the policy sunsets.
“They do not,” Gonzales, who represents a border district, said when asked on CBS’s “Face the Nation” whether border agents had the resources they needed to deal with an influx. “And this is honestly the fourth time that we’ve seen this Title 42 is going to end and every time we come to this situation before the crisis is this uptick in illegal immigration… the numbers are getting worse.”
As the policy comes to an end, the House is set to vote on a GOP immigration bill which Gonzales initially held out support on but is now planning to support. The plan would codify Trump-era immigration restrictions, including the “Remain in Mexico” policy that would require asylum seekers to remain in a detention facility or outside of the U.S. while their claim is considered.
If the bill passes the House, it has little chance of being considered in the Democrat-led Senate. Instead, it is an opportunity for Republicans to stake out their position through legislation.
“It’s the first time we’ve set a marker down and said our voices will be heard,” Gonzales said. “I’ve been very public, I’ve essentially negotiated both in public and in private.”