US court blocks termination of Biden’s open borders policy

A federal judge USA temporarily prevented President Joe Biden on Monday from ending a policy that allowed the government to quickly expel migrants at the southern border during the pandemic.

The government of Biden was on track to lift the measure, known as Title 42, on May 23; a decision outraged Republicans and many Democrats, as well as advocates of stricter border controls.

A Louisiana district court said, after a video conference with lawyers, that there had been “announced his intention to grant the motion” originally filed by Missouri, Louisiana, and Arizona to stay termination.

“The parties will consult on the specific terms that the Temporary Restraining Order must contain and will try to reach an agreement,” said in the ruling.

The order prevents the administration from taking any action before a hearing on May 13 to determine whether Title 42 can be lifted.

The three Republican states that filed the lawsuit – later joined by 18 others – celebrated a victory they hope will stem the unprecedented flow of migrants envisioned by Homeland Security officials.

“This is a great victory for border security, but the fight continues,” said Eric Schmitt, Missouri Attorney General.

His peer from Arizona, Mark Brnovic, said in a tweet that he was “very proud” of the lawyers of his administration.

“We will continue to fight against the policies of borders open of the government of Biden”said.

The lawsuit was filed after the White House announced in early April that it would lift the measure after months of pressure from migrant advocates, who said it denied people the right to seek asylum.

“Self-inflicted calamity”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the highest US health agency, said the measure “it was no longer needed” because “an increased availability of tools to combat covid-19″.

Enacted early in the pandemic in March 2020 under then-President Donald Trump, the measure required border agents to turn away anyone who crossed illegally into USA.

Since then, 1.7 million immigrant deportations have been ordered.

Republicans, backed by many border-state Democrats seeking re-election in November’s midterm elections, warned that abandoning Title 42 would exacerbate what they describe as an immigration crisis.

“This lawsuit challenges an impending, man-made and self-inflicted calamity: the abrupt removal of the only safety valve that prevents this administration’s disastrous border policies from spiraling into chaos and catastrophe.”says the lawsuit.

Senate Democratic Majority Leader Dick Durbin, who chairs the judiciary committee, told Republicans in a letter Monday that he asked the White House for a confidential briefing on the possible effects of removing Title 42.

“The status of the CDC’s Title 42 public health order – which is not an immigration enforcement authority – does not absolve the Senate of our responsibility to act on long-needed immigration reform.”said.

While he deliberated tribunal nine Republican congressmen walked a section of the border, to keep the pressure on Biden.