North Dakota’s state, federal leaders react to the end of Title 42

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – As of Thursday, May 11, Covid is no longer a public health emergency in the United States. And because of that, a Covid-era border security measure that originally started during the Trump administration is ending.

Title 42, which expires at midnight, has allowed U.S. border agents to turn away migrants at the Mexico border in the name of preventing the spread of Covid. Critics of President Joe Biden, including North Dakota’s delegation, say he allowed Title 42 to expire without a plan in place to deal with border issues.

“Every state in the nation including North Dakota depends on strong border security to stop illegal immigration and drug and human trafficking and ensure the safe and efficient flow of goods and services,” said Gov. Doug Burgum, R-ND.

Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-ND, emphasized the dangers of what he calls President Biden’s “disastrous open border policies”:

“We must secure our border to stop this unprecedented national security and humanitarian crisis, and to stem the flow of fentanyl that is killing our citizens. The Secure the Border Act will end catch and release, increase support of Border Patrol, and finally help us get a handle on this crisis,” said Armstrong.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Secure the Border Act, a GOP-backed bill aimed at addressing the immigration crisis, but it’s unlikely to pass the Democrat-controlled Senate. The Democrats say the bill doesn’t address the real issues at the border.

Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, points to the number of migrants crossing the border, which are near record highs

“In 2022 alone, more than three times the population of North Dakota illegally crossed the southern border and tens, if not hundreds of thousands more, are now expected to pour in once Title 42 expires,” said Cramer.

Sen. John Hoeven, R-ND, traveled to the southern border today to assess the situation.

“By returning to the remain in Mexico protocol and the third safe country protocol, which we had under the previous administration, CBP and border control can and will secure the border,” said Hoeven.

Those policies would require people seeking asylum at the southern border to wait in Mexico while their case is adjudicated and would require migrants coming from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala seek asylum there first, otherwise be returned to await the outcome of their claims.

About 10,000 people were apprehended by Border Patrol on Tuesday, among the largest single-day apprehensions in U.S. history.

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