DHS expects 18,000 migrants daily once Title 42 is lifted: Mayorkas

As many as 18,000 migrants could cross the southern border daily once the Trump-era Title 42 health regulation is repealed, adding to the strain on federal officials who are already stretched thin trying to contain the crisis, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced Sunday to.

“Title 42 is a public health agency. So what we started last September was preparing for its end. … We’re not expecting 18,000, but what we do in the department is we plan for different scenarios, so we’re prepared for anything,” Mayorkas said on CNN’s State of the Union.

As host Dana Bash Mayorkas pressed whether the Department of Homeland Security would be able to cope with that kind of surge, he said the department was prepared – but acknowledged the system would be under “extraordinary strain”.

“It’s our responsibility to be prepared for different scenarios, and we do, and we have incredibly talented and dedicated people. There is no question that if we do reach that number, it will be an extraordinary drain on our system,” the DHS Secretary said.

“Therefore, the plan we are preparing envisages a number of different actions, not only domestically, but also with our partners in the south,” he continued.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention introduced Title 42 in March 2020, allowing border officials to immediately expel migrants attempting to enter the United States for COVID-related public health reasons.

But the CDC announced last month that it would phase out the policy on May 23 — a move that drew bipartisan criticism.

Mayorkas was grilled on Capitol Hill last week over the government’s inability to respond to the immigration crisis, which has soared to record levels.

There were 221,000 encounters between immigrants and border officials in March – the highest number in any month since the Biden administration began.

At a meeting of the House Judiciary Committee last week, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) questioned Mayorkas’ ability to handle the border hike.

“Next month you’re going to do it worse,” Jordan said, referring to Title 42.

“We’ve never seen you do anything right when it comes to the border,” said the Ohio congressman.

Jordan suggested that Mayorkas intentionally allow illegal immigrants into the United States.

“We have a Secretary of Homeland Security who is intentionally, knowingly and premeditated carrying out a plan to flood our country with millions and millions of illegal migrants,” Jordan said.