Title 42 explained: What is it, why is it ending and what's next?
Now at 11 chaos and confusion tonight at the border where thousands of migrants are gathering hoping to enter the United States. Good evening I'm Micah Oman. And I'm Cher Calvin, title 42 the Trump era COVID-19 policy that allowed the US to turn back migrants for health reasons has officially expired. Hundreds of thousands of migrants are hoping to enter the United States but tonight the Biden administration is warning migrants not to believe the lies of smugglers reiterating the border is not open. Migrants and asylum seekers have been gathering at the US Mexico border near San Isidro and across the Southwest in huge numbers for weeks. Many fleeing persecution, violence or poverty in their home countries. But disinformation is causing chaos and confusion.
John Fenolio here in studio with a look at the situation right now. John. Well, sure, Micah, that's right tonight. We're learning that many of these migrants have been reading misinformation on social media or have been told by smugglers that the end of title 42 means the border is open. It is not. In fact, the new rules make it more difficult for migrants, especially asylum seekers to stay in the US. Let's take a look at some of this video right quick.
These dramatic images at the border just a short time ago. You can see desperate migrants in the border town of Montemoros, Mexico crossing the Rio Grande in the dark, some carrying young children hoping to make it a cross to the US. On the other side there is Brownsville, Texas, where border agents are waiting. Tonight, growing scenes of desperation on the US Mexico border. This father carries his baby in a suitcase as he crosses the Rio Grande from Montemoros into Texas. He's one of the tens of thousands of migrants fleeing extreme poverty and violence who have rushed the southwest border in anticipation of the end of title 42, a pandemic health policy that allowed for the swift expulsion of migrants with few penalties or consideration of their claims for asylum protection. I want to be very clear.
Our borders are not open. But tonight, a new policy with harsher penalties takes effect known as title eight. It's expected to prevent many from getting asylum. If anyone arrives at our southern border after midnight tonight, they will be presumed ineligible for asylum and subject to steeper consequences for unlawful entry, including a minimum five year ban on reentry and potential criminal prosecution. And so they try desperately to enter the US before the deadline, hoping to be processed by US Border Patrol. I'm from Ghana. And what brings you here? What to the United States are trying to get into the United States? Hey, my husband is worrying me.
So he wants to kill me. So I ran away from the house to I want I want a shelter because I'm afraid in my country. They are worrying me. They want to kill me under the new rules. Non Mexican migrant asylum seekers will be rejected if they illegally cross into the US without first applying for and being denied asylum in another country. Migrants must also schedule an appointment at a port of entry using a customs and border patrol app. Failure to follow the rules will result in deportation without the ability to enter the US for at least five years, possibly more, more than 20,000 migrants are currently in CBB custody and US border towns are feeling the pressure where beds and shelters are in short supply, some already over capacity.
The Biden administration is deploying some 1500 troops to assist border authorities. But officials say the crush of people arriving daily is simply overwhelming. The end of title 42. Now the beginning of more problems on an already strained border. Our current situation is the outcome of Congress leaving a broken, outdated immigration system in place for over two decades, despite unanimous agreement that we desperately need legislative reform. House Republicans passed a sweeping border security bill today. It would add 22,000 new border agents, improve technology at ports of entry, build more border wall and impose new tougher restrictions on asylum seekers.
The measure has little chance of passing the Democratic controlled Senate. The White House says the GOP bill would make immigration system worse because it does quote nothing to address the root cause of migration. Share mica back to you. John, thank you. Stay with KTLA five for continuing coverage on the end of title 42. We will have more live reports coming up on the KTLA morning news for the latest anytime. Head to KTLA dot com or download our free KTLA five app.
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