Friday, December 8, 2023
North-JerseyNews.com
  • Home
  • Washington
  • Trenton
  • County
  • Court
  • Roundup
  • Opinion
  • Search
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Washington
  • Trenton
  • County
  • Court
  • Roundup
  • Opinion
  • Search
No Result
View All Result
North-JerseyNews.com
No Result
View All Result
Home Washington Political Breaking News

Menendez, Booker Praise Biden’s Move to End COVID Immigration Restrictions

Senators urge phased end to Title 42 to avoid ‘Bottleneck’ at end of May

Liz Grover by Liz Grover
April 8, 2022
in Washington Political Breaking News
0 0
4
North-JerseyNews.com
0
SHARES
121
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

New Jersey’s U.S. senators say they are pleased with the Biden Administration’s decision to lift a public health order known as Title 42 that blocked many asylum claims at the U.S.-Mexico border during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, both Democrats, are urging restrictions on asylum seekers to be lifted in phases rather than all at once on May 23 as planned by the Biden administration.

“We are glad that the Administration has made the decision to end Title 42 expulsions,” said Menendez and Booker, who called the measure “a Trump-era relic that prevented the Department of Homeland Security from implementing our immigration laws and enriched smuggling networks by allowing vulnerable migrants to make multiple dangerous trips across the border.” 

Trump Immigration Policy

“It failed to protect public health and instead created chaos at the border and hurt asylum seekers fleeing prosecution and torture,” Menendez and Booker said of Title 42 in a statement.

North-JerseyNews.com

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on April 1 plans to end Title 42, a policy implemented by the Trump Administration in March 2020 during the initial onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Under the order, most asylum seekers who were apprehended at the southern border were immediately sent back to Mexico or to their home country without the chance to file their asylum claims.

“After considering current public health conditions and an increased availability of tools to fight COVID-19 (such as highly effective vaccines and therapeutics), the CDC Director has determined that an order suspending the right to introduce migrants into the United States is no longer necessary, the CDC said.

Policy Change Splits Dems

The Biden Administration’s move to end Title 42 is controversial even among Democrats with the more progressive members seeking removal of the restrictions and others in the party raising concerns. 

Additionally, the announcement of the Title 42 policy’s end prompted three states—Missouri, Louisiana, and Arizona—and their attorneys general to sue the federal government. 

The states’ complaint argues ending the public health order’s restrictions could cause a crisis at the Southern border by removing “the only safety valve preventing this Administration’s disastrous border policies from devolving into an unmitigated chaos and catastrophe.”

The complaint quotes four Democratic U.S. senators’ criticisms of the policy shift to bolster its argument against easing COVID-related southern border restrictions on asylum seekers. Among those quoted is Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) who said, “Ending Title 42 prematurely will likely lead to a migrant surge that the administration does not appear to be ready for.”

Different Approach

Menendez and Booker’s statement points at a different approach to guard against the kind of surge feared by Hassan and others both inside and outside the Democratic party. 

“While we support ending Title 42, extending this policy until the end of May will only incentivize more irregular migration to the border and create an unnecessary bottleneck effect when it finally sunsets,” the New Jersey lawmakers said. 

“We hope the administration will expand exemptions to the original order and start lifting Title 42 in phases,” they added.

Ukrainian Exemptions

These exemptions already have been used to help Ukrainian refugees at the southern border, they said, in urging the Biden Administration to start processing families of all nationalities immediately.

“Waiting any longer before starting to process migrants with asylum claims will only allow smugglers to exploit even more vulnerable people and increase operational challenges at the border,” they said.

Border Restrictions Opposition

Some 56% of U.S. voters oppose the Biden administration’s plan to remove the March 2020 pandemic-era border policy, according to polling that survey research firm Morning Consult published April 6.

The Biden Administration’s move to end Title 42 by could derail the $10 billion, bipartisan COVID relief funding bill. U.S. Senate Republicans voted to block the relief bill, which they want amended to reinstate Title 42. 

Responding to a reporter’s query at her April 5 briefing, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said decisions on Title 42 should “remain independent of the urgently needed funding (for COVID aid.) This is a decision made by the CDC.  It’s a public health decision.”

Unaccompanied Minors

While Menendez favors ending Title 42 restrictions on asylum seekers, he pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra at an April 5 Senate Finance Committee hearing on how his department was preparing for the “likely increase” in unaccompanied children arriving at the southern border.

“Last Spring, very concerning reports emerged regarding the conditions for unaccompanied children housed in HHS emergency intake sites. And at that time, the Department officials expressed their intent to depopulate and close these short-term facilities as soon as possible,” Menendez said. “However, as of April 1st, there were still two emergency intake sites open, housing approximately 2,100 children.”

Menendez asked, “Is the Department still committed to closing these emergency intake sites and placing unaccompanied children with long-term shelters in your licensed care provider network?” 

Health Secretary Responds 

Becerra said closing emergency intake sites and placing unaccompanied minors in long-term shelters in still a top priority for the department. 

“That is the goal, senator, because it’s required by a court decision as well, and so we make every effort. Every spot, every slot, every bed that we can find that is under a licensed care facility we use,” Becerra responded.

The HHS secretary added, though, that many of the licensed care facilities “disappeared because the system was dismantled by the previous administration.”

“We have worked hard to build it up, to increase the number of licensed care facilities, but when there aren’t enough, we still have the obligation to care for these children. That is when we do stand up these emergency facilities,” Becerra said.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • More
  • LinkedIn

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Tags: Biden AdministrationCenters for Disease Control and PreventionCOVID-19COVID-19 AidDepartment of Homeland SecurityHealth and Human Services Secretary Xavier BecerraImmigrationlatest political news from New Jerseylatest political news from Washingtonlatest political news in washingtonlatest washington political newsnew jerseynew jersey political newsNJ political newsNorth JerseyNorth Jersey NewsPolitical Newspolitical news from washington dcPolitical News NJPresident Joe BidenSen. Bob MenendezSen. Cory BookerSenate Finance CommitteeSouthern BorderTitle 42Trump AdministrationU.S. Senate RepublicansUkraine refugeeswashington dc political newswashington dc political news todayWashington Political News
Previous Post

Digital Asset and Blockchain Technology Act Pushed Forward in Trenton

Next Post

OPINION: Trump’s Trying to Make Putin Great Again

Next Post
North-JerseyNews.com

OPINION: Trump’s Trying to Make Putin Great Again

Comments 4

  1. Dirk Dirk says:
    2 years ago

    The only reason the demented puppet biden regime and its craven ideologues stooges like menendez and booker are pushing for more immigration is because they are trying to get millions of new voters into the the US and bribe them to vote democratic so they can establish a one party dictatorship
    These people dont care about the immugrants well being or health. They only care about power

    Loading...
    Reply
  2. bob bob says:
    2 years ago

    Agree!

    Loading...
    Reply
  3. LON LON says:
    2 years ago

    TRATIORS, biden ,harris, pelosi, booker, menendaz all want destruction of USA

    Loading...
    Reply
  4. rob kwiatk rob kwiatk says:
    2 years ago

    SENATOR’S, Booker & Menendez; Immigration & immigrants have Built this Nation!! AND; Many 0f them had to endure Hates, Bigotry’s & Racism’s; And this had initially lead them to Financial Slavery’s!! That was & still is now being Practiced more so than ever before; And that is working for the Man & being abused by the Man & having to live on Less then Starvation wages by the Man, while receiving N0 benefit’s for’n their Labour!! The Man I’m referring to, are the Small Business’s to those Huge Mega Conglomerate Monopolies & the Wealthy hiring House Keeper’s & Care Taker’s!! WHOM Will protect these Immigrant’s Rites; When they aren’t being Protected Know!! WHILE; People trying to Unionize are still being greeted by Corporate Strike-Breaker’s & 0ther Beat-Down’s!! Seems like Slave Wages & Starvation Salaries have become America’s forte’ & for’n the Worker an Unattainable Dream to those many Freedom’s thru their hard work & success!! Senator’s, Protect the immigrants & take Care of that ever so growing Homeless & Poor Population in the U.S.!! America is Broken; and is Fast & steady going down that Proverbial Crapper!!//

    Loading...
    Reply

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Post

North-JerseyNews.com

Sen. Menendez: I Will Be Exonerated of Bribery Charges

by James Hickey
September 25, 2023
0

North-JerseyNews.com

Explaining the Indictment of Sen. Bob Menendez, His Wife and Three Others 

by James Hickey
September 22, 2023
1

North-JerseyNews.com

DOJ: Constitutional Rights Violated at North Jersey Vet Homes During Pandemic

by James Hickey
September 8, 2023
2

Popular

North-JerseyNews.com

Sen. Menendez: I Will Be Exonerated of Bribery Charges

by James Hickey
2023/09/25
0

North-JerseyNews.com

Explaining the Indictment of Sen. Bob Menendez, His Wife and Three Others 

by James Hickey
2023/09/22
1

North-JerseyNews.com

DOJ: Constitutional Rights Violated at North Jersey Vet Homes During Pandemic

by James Hickey
2023/09/08
2

Subscribe now

Join 100,000+ other subscribers

[ctct form="12911" show_title="false"]
Ss Tp
States Where Abortion Is Banned (1)

North-JerseyNews.com

When it comes to breaking news North Jersey, North Jersey local news or live news North Jersey, We all look for a reliable source that can give us authentic North Jersey news or local Jersey news.

© Copyright 2021 North-JerseyNews.com

Design and Developed By MOZWEBMEDIA

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Washington
  • Trenton
  • County
  • Court
  • Roundup
  • Opinion
  • Search

© Copyright 2021 North-JerseyNews.com
Design and Developed By MOZWEBMEDIA

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Finance Currency Financial World Dollar Funds 634901

Add Your Heading Text Here

 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d