What does the expiration of Title 42 mean?

What expiration of Title 42 means

Starting at 11:59 p.m. EDT Thursday, the Title 42 restrictions will lift.

LOS ANGELES - It is officially Friday in the east coast United States, marking the end of Title 42... but, what does it mean? Who does it affect?

"Title 42 is an emergency measure put in place when COVID-19 was declared a national emergency," said Orange County Congressman Leo Correa.

But, Title 42, which was started by the Trump Administration and continued under President Biden, has some feeling nervous.

"The challenge we have at the border is that we have many people, thousands - hundreds of thousands - that have been waiting to come into the US," Correa added.

Title 42 ends: Migrants across the globe seek asylum

FOX 11's Gina Silva was at the U.S.-Mexico border to hear some stories of the migrants hoping to seek asylum.

"It’s going to have an impact in the immediate because of the pent-up demand," said LMU Political Science Professor Fernando Guerra.

He said after Title 42, Title 8 will play a role and UCLA Chicano Studies Professor Raul Hinojosa says that will, "... allow immigrants to come to the border and say ’I have a well-founded fear of persecution in my homeland. I want to be able to go see a judge to begin the process of applying for political asylum."

Guerra says it does impact people in LA but not to the same degree as those on the other side of the border or currently at border towns.

Title 42 ending points to likely migrant surge

The end of Title 42 will likely mean a historic migrant surge at the U.S.-Mexico border.

He added that for those in LA seeking asylum, it doesn’t change anyone’s daily routines, but, now it gives them a path to legalize their status.

Meanwhile, back at the border if an asylum seeker can’t prove fear of prosecution, then UCLA Law Professor Ahilan Arulanantham says, "... you get what they call an expedited removal order which is a deportation order and now that is on your record. If you try to come in the country again and cross over you can be criminally prosecuted for illegal reentry after deportation."

To deal with whatever backlog may be created by people seeking asylum, the LA Times is reporting that the Biden administration is cutting the time that migrants have to get lawyers with the idea of speeding up the process.

Mexico U.S. Border Security