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Title 42 Is Ending. What Does It Mean For The U.S. Border?

Why migration is expected to surge after a major policy shift at the U.S. southern border.

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Title 42, the controversial Trump-era policy that allowed to turn away asylum-seekers at the border, expired midnight May 11, 2023. Under the public health policy, which officials said was aimed to stop the spread of COVID-19, the U.S. expelled migrants more than 2.8 million times. Once Title 42 sunsets, individuals who enter the country illegally will once again have the opportunity to apply for asylum. Many expect border crossings to dramatically surge.

Read on to learn more about who is affected, how lawmakers are responding, and what to expect in the future.

Image by Joey Ingelhart/Getty Images

WHAT’S HAPPENING: What Is Title 42 and How Has Us Used It To Curb Migration?

The U.S. is putting new restrictions into place at its southern border to try to to stop migrants from crossing illegally and encourage them instead to apply for asylum online through a new process.

WHO’S IMPACTED: A Guide to America’s Chaotic Border Rules

New restrictions on asylum will lead many migrants to be deported — but others will still get into the United States. Here’s what the process will look like.

ON THE GROUND: U.S. Sees Record Migration Influx as Pandemic Border Restrictions Lift

The Title 42 border policy used during the pandemic to quickly expel migrants who were in the U.S. illegally is set to expire.

BY THE NUMBERS: Key Facts About Title 42

As the debate over the use of Title 42 unfolds, here are answers to key questions about the policy, based primarily on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the agency that oversees the Border Patrol.

THE POLITICS: As Title 42 Expires, Here’s How Your Lawmakers Want To Fix the Border Crisis

The House is set to vote Thursday on the first major border security bill from Republicans since gaining control of the lower chamber, as a pandemic-era policy tightening border control comes to an end.

WHAT'S NEXT: Here’s What To Expect in the U.S. As Title 42 Ends for Asylum-Seekers

As Title 42 is set to expire at 11:59 p.m. ET Thursday, security officials are bracing for what could be an unprecedented influx of migrants seeking asylum along the southern border.