Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks Order to End Title 42 Transcript

The Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court temporarily blocked an order that would have forced a pandemic-era border policy to end. The policy called Title 42 allowed border agents to immediately expel people who cross illegally without processing their asylum claims. It was implemented in 2020 by then President Trump as a pandemic protection and has been continued by President Biden until now. A federal judge recently ruled it should expire, prompting Texas and other states to appeal to the Supreme Court. Fox 4’s Peyton Yager live with the story tonight. Peyton.

Steve, this order did not include merits in this case, allowing the US Supreme Court time to consider an appeal. In a last-ditch effort, the emergency appeal was made by 19 conservative states, including Texas, asking the high court for Title 42 to stay.

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The US Supreme Court’s Chief Justice John Roberts briefly halted the expiration of a controversial COVID-19 policy directed towards certain asylum seekers called Title 42.

Title 42 is a public health order, so the fact that it expires, it means that we’re not in the COVID period any longer.

19 states, including Texas, made an emergency plea Monday saying the policy that turns away asylum seekers who cross the border illegally is needed to fight an expected border surge. Late in the day, Chief Justice Roberts issued an order keeping Title 42 in place while the Supreme Court considers the appeal. A decision is expected in the coming days.

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In response, Governor Greg Abbott tweeted Monday, “Today’s order is a step in the right direction.” At Monday’s press briefing before Chief Roberts’ decision, the White House worked to tame the rhetoric that ending Title 42 would lead to a bigger surge.

The fact is that the removal of Title 42 does not mean the border is open.

The White House also took aim at Republicans in Congress.

This is what is needed. This is what we’re asking, that $3.5 billion of funding requests that we’re asking of Congress.

Though lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say that money wouldn’t fix the issue.

It’s mainly for food and shelter, processing, transportation, but it doesn’t really talk about security.

You can have an unlimited amount of soft-sided facilities. The problem is enforcing the laws that are already on the books.

Cities along the southern border are bracing for what may come next. El Paso was already dealing with a surge of migrants, up to 2,500 a day, prompting the mayor to issue a state of emergency over the weekend. Shelters there are overwhelmed, and this week migrants will be bused to larger Texas cities, like Dallas, to help provide shelter.

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Chief Justice Roberts asked the government to respond by the end of the day Tuesday signaling the courts want to act quickly.