Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and colleagues introduced a bill to extend Title 42 authority until February 2025. The bill comes in response to President Joe Biden’s decision to rescind Title 42 authority, which the Biden Administration warned would result in a massive surge of illegal immigration across the southern border. The legislation would extend Title 42 authority, a critical tool for Homeland Security, until February 1, 2025. Rubio will “Rule 14” the bill to bypass Senate Committee and be placed directly on the Senate Calendar.
Joining Rubio in introducing the legislation are Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jim Risch (R-ID), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Steve Daines (R-MT), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Braun (R-IN), Mike Crapo (R-ID), John Hoeven (R-ND), and Tim Scott (R-SC).
“Rescinding Title 42 may be Biden’s biggest mistake thus far, and that is a really long list,” Rubio said. “With this action, he is opening our borders and inviting a massive surge of illegal immigration – likely the biggest in U.S. history – that will inflict a lasting and avoidable crisis onto our nation. Ending Title 42 enforcement is reckless, dangerous, and puts our communities in harm’s way.”
“The Biden Administration’s failed immigration policies have caused illegal immigration to reach historic and unsustainable levels that have completely overwhelmed the brave men and women tasked with protecting our southern border,” Tillis said. “Title 42 authority has been crucial for Homeland Security as the work to maintain the flow of illegal immigrants, and the decision by President Biden to rescind it will lead to a massive surge of illegal immigrants coming across our southern border. This dire humanitarian crisis cannot be allowed, and I am proud to co-introduce this bill that would extend this authority until 2025. Most Americans favor keeping Title 42 in place, so I hope we can agree that we should maintain this policy and protect our country from a surge of illegal immigration over the next few months.”
“The Biden Administration’s decision to revoke Title 42 in the midst of an illegal immigration crisis has already sent the wrong message, threatened our national security, and before long, will cause irreversible damage to our country,” Risch said. “Preserving Title 42 is the best way forward to secure our southern border.”
“Strong countries need strong borders, and President Biden’s consistent disregard for the crisis at our border is gravely damaging our country,” Wicker said. “The latest decision to end Title 42 is no exception. Incentivizing additional illegal immigration could bring untold crime, drug trafficking, and economic disruption to our country. Republicans have had enough with President Biden’s charade on immigration. We want to see real changes in our border safety now.”
“Montana is a northern border state with a southern border problem, and as Biden’s southern border crisis rages on, this Administration wants to make it even worse by repealing yet another successful immigration policy put in place by President Trump,” Daines said. “This is a reckless decision that puts illegal immigrants over Montanans. We need to secure our border immediately.”
“Rescinding Title 42 is a dumb idea and an even dumber political strategy. America is not with President Biden on this move,” Cramer said. “We are seeing the biggest crisis at the border in U.S. history, and lifting Title 42 will only make things worse. This irresponsible move by the Biden Administration will escalate the dangerous situation at the southern border, where immigration facilities are already overwhelmed and illegal immigrants are coming into the United States by the thousands. It is imperative to our national security that Title 42 remains in place.” said Senator Cramer.
“I’ve been to the southern border and seen firsthand the surge of illegal immigrants crossing our nation’s southern border,” Hoeven said. “President Biden’s decision to revoke Title 42 will make the situation drastically worse. The Biden administration needs to enforce the law and secure our southern border, and this legislation is about empowering our immigration officials to do just that.”