Maine Highlands News

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02), joined by Reps. Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Don Davis (NC-01), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), David Valadao (CA-22), Wiley Nickel (NC-13), and Zach Nunn (IA-03), on May 11 introduced a bipartisan bill that would afford the Biden Administration a two-year temporary expulsion authority for migrants who come to the United States illegally. This authority would be used as a means of addressing the expected surge of migrants at the Southern border in the absence of Title 42 which expires on May 11. 

Senators Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced similar bipartisan legislation in the Senate earlier this month. 

“The situation at our border is already a dangerous crisis and ending Title 42 without resources and a workable strategy in place will only make it worse,” said Congressman Golden. “This bill arms the Administration with the authority to address this crisis.”

“The expiration of Title 42 has brought greater chaos and uncertainty to our southern border,” said Congressman Ciscomani. “Border communities in my district and other states cannot shoulder the burden of this crisis any longer. While the White House still refuses to act, Congress has stepped up and offered a bipartisan, bicameral solution, which I am proud to support. CBP is underwater, reporting the worst numbers they have ever seen, and this bill will give them the tools they need to do the job we need them to do.”

“With the expiration of Title 42, law enforcement agencies, non-profits, and families are facing an unprecedented strain on resources. I am proud to join a bipartisan, bicameral group of Members of Congress to pass legislation to help guarantee our great country is ready to meet this challenge head-on. While our bill is necessary, it is not a permanent solution to fix our broken immigration system,” said Congressman Davis. “The people of eastern North Carolina are calling on Congress to pass bipartisan immigration reform that includes comprehensive measures to secure our border.”

“Our southern border is currently facing a humanitarian and national security crisis, and the looming expiration of Title 42 will only exacerbate the situation,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick. “In the face of this unprecedented emergency, both Chambers of Congress have proposed a solution that allows our heroic Border Patrol agents to further secure our border and protect our communities. I am proud to join my colleagues on this bipartisan, bicameral legislation and urge the House and Senate to swiftly pass it.”

“With Title 42 set to expire, the time for decisive action at the southern border is now. While the administration has announced several short-term steps, this is too little too late and Congress must act,“ said Congressman Nickel. “I’m proud to join Rep. Golden and a bipartisan group of members on this important legislation to ensure we can secure the southern border while also giving more time to enact meaningful, long-term reforms to our overburdened immigration system. I’m grateful to Senator Tillis and Senator Sinema for championing this effort in the Senate, and look forward to working with Rep. Golden and my House colleagues to get this across the finish line.”

“We’re seeing a humanitarian and national security crisis at our border, with over 1.3 million known evasions in the last two years and record amounts of fentanyl harming our communities,” said Congressman Valadao. “The Biden administration has failed to secure the border, and the expiration of Title 42 is only going to make this situation more dire. This bipartisan, bicameral bill is necessary to give our border patrol agents the tools and time they need to keep our border secure and communities safe.” 

“The situation at the border is already a humanitarian and security nightmare, and it will only get worse with the expiration of Title 42,” said Congressman Nunn. “Working to reform our broken immigration system should not be a partisan issue, which is why it’s so important that this legislation has bipartisan support.  Extending Title 42 is a critical piece of the puzzle to getting the mass influx of illegal crossings under control.” 

Title 42 is a provision of the Public Health Service Act of 1944. In March 2020, the Trump Administration invoked Title 42 to prevent the spread of COVID-19, preventing migrants presenting themselves at the border for asylum from remaining in the country while their cases were processed. The Biden Administration had largely continued the Trump Administration’s policy, but announced that it will begin rolling back the policy this month as the Administration ends the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. 

This bill would give the Biden Administration temporary expulsion authority without a tie to public health. The bill exempts migrants from expulsion if they would face persecution or torture because of their membership in a social, political or religious group. Border agents may also exempt other migrants on a case-by-case basis for humanitarian or urgent medical reasons.

Golden has been at the forefront of the fight to keep our border secure and the immigration process safe for all those involved. Last month, he introduced a bipartisan bill that would help address Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel shortages in rural areas. Last year, he introduced a bipartisan bill that would prevent President Biden from lifting existing Title 42 immigration restrictions without a plan in place from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address the expected surge of migrants at the Southern border. 

In March of last year, Golden voted to substantially increase funding for local law enforcement and border patrol officers as part of the omnibus government funding bill. The bill was passed by the House and signed into law by the president at the end of the month. In 2021, Golden voted to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, which included significant funding for border stations across the country, including five land ports of entry in Maine’s Second District. 

The full bill text can be found here.

Original source can be found here