What is Title 42? Why it is ending?It stems back to the Public Health Act of 1944, which gave US government
authorities emergency powers to stop the spread of diseases. The Trump administration
cited the necessity to halt the spread of Covid-19 beyond its borders when it cited the act in March 2020. When Title 42 was in
effect, US officials could use the outbreak as an excuse to quickly deport migrants entering the country from Mexico, even those seeking refuge.
According to US Customs and Border Protection, during the time when Title 42 was in effect, almost 2.8 million persons were expulsed.
Why is Title 42 ending now?After taking office in January 2021, Mr Biden and his administration kept the policy in place and continued to
defend it as a public health measure for more than a year. Citing a diminished public health risk, in April 2022 the US
Centers for Disease Control, which oversees US health policy, signalled it would end the policy. Republican-led states are trying to
find way to keep the policy in place. A proposed Senate bill, backed by Arizona Independent Kyrsten
Sinema and North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis, would allow for rapid expulsions in a manner similar to Title 42, but without the public-health justification.