Title 42 Asylum Limits in Hands of Federal Judge
May 13, 2022 3:57 PM
UPDATE May 13, 2022 8:36 PM
Associated Press
LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA —
An attorney arguing for 24 states urged a federal judge Friday to block Biden administration plans to lift pandemic-related restrictions on migrants requesting asylum, saying the decision was made without sufficient consideration of the effects the move could have on public health and law enforcement.
Drew Ensign, an attorney for the state of Arizona, told U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays the lawsuit Arizona, Louisiana and 22 other states filed to block the plan was "not about the policy wisdom" behind the announcement to end the plan May 23.
But, Ensign said, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not follow proper administrative procedures requiring public notice and gathering of comments on the decision to end the restrictions imposed under what is known as Title 42 authority. The result, he said, was that proper consideration was not given to likely resulting increases in border crossings and their possible effects, including pressure on state health care systems and the diversion of border law enforcement resources from drug interdiction to controlling illegal crossings.
Jean Lin of the Justice Department argued that the CDC was within its authority to lift an emergency health restriction it felt was no longer needed. She said the CDC order was a matter of health policy, not immigration policy.
https://www.voanews.com/a/title-42-asylum-limits-in-hands-of-federal-judge/6570588.html
