Press Releases

Today, Congressman Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on National Security, led 52 of his colleagues on a letter to President Biden expressing deep concern with the White House’s announcement that it will eliminate Title 42 on May 23, 2022. Along with the suspension of other policies to deter illegal border crossings, halting Title 42 will aggravate the ongoing border crisis and risk the health of Border Patrol agents, migrants, and local communities.

“As you know, Title 42 has been in effect since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020. The public health authority gives the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the ability to immediately expel migrants that would otherwise be detained in U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities or released into our communities in the United States. Your Administration utilized Title 42 through all stages of the pandemic, including in January 2022, when daily COVID-19 deaths were averaging 2,000, as well as July 2021 when average daily deaths were around 215. Rescinding Title 42 at a time when our country is experiencing an average of 584 daily deaths makes little sense,” wrote the lawmakers.

“Unfortunately, your Administration has not used the tools available to it to deter illegal immigration, including by reducing interior immigration enforcement, dismantling the Migrant Protections Protocols (MPP), and releasing hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants into the interior of the United States. As a result, Title 42 is the only means left to deter illegal immigration and keep our communities healthy and safe,” continued the lawmakers.

In the letter, Congressman Grothman and his colleagues highlight that the Biden Administration is anticipating approximately 540,000 illegal border crossings per month, which is more than twice the highest number of encounters in a single month during President Biden’s term in office.

Title 42 is currently the most effective tool at the disposal of CBP to deter migrants from attempting to cross the border illegally. With a set date for its expiration in place, human smugglers have ample time to prepare to transport migrants to the border upon the termination of Title 42.

The Members of Congress urged President Biden to reverse his decision to lift Title 42. Additionally, the letter requests a Member-level briefing on the Administration’s rationale for suspending Title 42, as well as details regarding the federal government’s strategy to stop illegal immigration at our southern border. 

Read more about the letter in the Daily Caller.

The letter to President Biden can be found here.

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U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah) is serving his fourth term representing Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.