Lawmakers fear lifting Title 42 will cause massive migrant surge

Diana Gomez, advocacy director of Progress Texas, and James Dickey, CEO of JD Key Communications, join FOX 7 Austin's Mike Warren for a Title 42 discussion.

TEXAS - A growing number of Democratic lawmakers are joining Republicans in opposing the Biden administration's plan to lift Title 42 pandemic restrictions at the southern border next month.

Lawmakers fear dropping the Trump-era policy will cause another massive migrant surge.

Democrats voice concerns over Biden administration's decision to end Title 42

Title 42 was enacted during the beginning of the pandemic, the policy allows officials to quickly turn away undocumented immigrants at the border.

Mike: A growing number of Democratic lawmakers are joining Republicans in opposing the Biden administration's plan to lift Title 42 pandemic restrictions at the southern border next month. They fear dropping the Trump era policy will cause yet another massive migrant surge. Here to talk about this is Diana Gomez, advocacy director of Progress Texas. James Dickey, CEO of JD Key Communications.

Mike: Diana. Congressman Henry Cuellar says the Biden administration is listening to activists instead of people who actually live on the border at best. Shouldn't the Biden administration pause lifting Title 42 next month?

Diana: So the most vocal representative calling to keep Title 42 is square, and that is Trump's favorite Democrat who voted with Trump more than any other Democrat, so that part is not surprising. What's important to know is that he does not speak for everyone on the border or every Texan. President Biden ran. He campaigned on ending Trump's cruel policies, including Title 42. And he is keeping his promises.

Mike: James Should the Biden administration hold off on Title 42 as far as lifting it?

James: They absolutely should, and senators like Chris and Cinema and and multiple others also on the Democrat side, agree. The title 42 itself, if it is the weak ground to act on. The problem is all of Biden's other actions have attracted people to talk about cruelty, to subjecting them to cartels, to trafficking, to death in the desert. It is the temptation of people who are not prepared to come here illegally. That is the cruel and vicious thing that we should not do. We should have good immigration, but it should be done in an orderly and legal manner. You know,

Mike: Diana, so many politicians are saying there is going to be a huge surge once Title 42 is lifted. Do you agree with that? Will there be a surge? What do you think?

Diana: This is definitely not true. Title 42 for folks who don't know is not an immigration law, it is a health law that was used by Trump and manipulated to exclude certain immigrants from seeking asylum, which is a human right. Public health experts have condemned the title 42 because, again, it's just being used as a xenophobic tool to keep people out. And it's important to know that the idea to manipulate Title 42 was the brainchild of Trump adviser Stephen Miller, who famously infamously separated 5000 children from their parents on the border.

Mike: James, where is Governor Abbott in all of this? How should he go forward?

James: Well, what he shouldn't do is follow the Democratic playbook, which is not the Democrat playbook was locked down U.S. citizens and then welcome illegal immigrants from all over the world to come in and have unlimited travel. So while we were required to wear masks on airplanes, illegal immigrants were welcomed by the tens of thousands with no such limitations. So fortunately, we don't have that. What Governor Abbott has been encouraged to do is actually consider declaring an invasion, which is a pretty extreme step. But what people forget is our history over the last hundred years. There have been numerous times that millions of illegal immigrants in Texas and across our nation have been sent back to their countries because no one has an inherent right to show up in the United States and just say, I want to be here because I want to. That is not allowed, and that's what we all need to take steps against.

Mike: All right. Well, Title 42 is still an open question out there. We are out of time for now. James Diana, thank you both very much for joining us.

James & Diana: Thank you.