Politics

EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans Call On Biden To Keep Title 42 In Place, Call For Briefing From CDC, DHS

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Henry Rodgers Chief National Correspondent
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Republican Wisconsin Rep. Glenn Grothman and a group of House Republicans sent President Joe Biden a letter Tuesday, calling on him to reverse his administration’s decision to lift Title 42 and asking for a briefing from government agencies.

The Daily Caller first obtained the letter, which was spearheaded by Grothman and signed by 52 other House Republicans. In the letter, the lawmakers expressed concern about the Biden administration’s decision to end Title 42, a public health measure issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to rapidly expel migrants on public health grounds.

Along with DHS, the lawmakers also called for a briefing with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), saying revoking Title 42 will put communities across the U.S. at risk. The CDC announced Friday that Title 42 will be terminated May 23.

“This crisis will make it more difficult for Border Patrol agents to interdict human traffickers, drug traffickers, and other bad actors. Further, as your Administration has embraced catch-and-release, having half a million illegal immigrants flood our border every month and be later released into the interior of the United States will put massive strains on our local communities, including hospitals, that they are unequipped to handle,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter.

“For the sake of public health, rule of law, and the security of this nation, we urge you to keep Title 42 in place. We also request an in-person Member-level briefing with senior Administration officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and DHS on your Administration’s rationale for ending Title 42 and actions it intends to take to improve border security and deter illegal immigration at our southern border,” they added.

READ THE LETTER HERE: 

(DAILY CALLER OBTAINED) — … by Henry Rodgers

Border agents encountered a record two million migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2021. In fiscal 2021, they seized $3.31 billion in counterfeit goods, over 319,000 pounds of marijuana, over 190,000 pounds of methamphetamine and over 97,000 pounds of cocaine. (RELATED: Even Democrats Are Speaking Out Against The CDC Ending Title 42)

“As the conditions along our Southern border continue to deteriorate, we are about to enter a phase in which America could be inundated with over half a million unvetted migrants thanks to the radical decision-making of President Biden. For the sake of public health, the rule of law, and the security of this nation, I strongly urge President Biden to reverse his decision to expel the last remaining border security tool at the disposal of Border Patrol agents,” Grothman told the Daily Caller. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: GOP Doctors Caucus Demands Information On Migrants’ COVID-19 Infections)

Even some moderate Democrats are speaking out against the decision to end Title 42 such as Democratic New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan.

“Ending Title 42 prematurely will likely lead to a migrant surge that the administration does not appear to be ready for. I’ll keep pushing the administration to strengthen border security & look forward to hearing directly from border agents during my upcoming trip to the border,” Hassan tweeted Friday.