Biden administration must be prepared for flood of migrants at border. DeSantis sure is | Opinion

Just before midnight Thursday, the migrant situation at the U.S.-Mexico border is predicted to dramatically change as Title 42 goes away. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis already has swatted back at President Biden’s pivot: If you’re an undocumented immigrant, don’t come to Florida.

Title 42 is the pandemic-era policy put in place by the Trump administration in 2020 to expel migrants arriving at the border because of health concerns.

The Biden administration maintained the policy, giving it significant leeway by allowing border patrol to immediately turn away migrants without letting them apply for asylum.

But with COVID no longer deemed a global health emergency, Title 42 is coming to an end, and reports are that thousands of immigrants are lined up at the border, waiting to enter the United States.

They are blatantly ignoring U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s insistence that no one will be allowed through a U.S. port of entry without an appointment via its new CBP One app. This insistence must be more than a threat.

Already here

As reported by Herald Caribbean Correspondent Jacqueline Charles, federal agents have fanned out on the streets of El Paso seeking migrants who already have made it across the border and have been gathering at shelters and churches, hoping to be able to stay in the United States.

Alarmed by what already is going on at the border, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas held an 11th-hour news conference to clarify the Biden administration’s stance and to blame Congress for “a broken” immigration system: “Let me make it clear that the lifting of Title 42 does not mean the border is open, in fact, it is the contrary,” Mayorkas insisted.

He said the disappearance of Title 42 means the tougher Title 8 goes into effect. Caught entering the country illegally means you’re barred from legal entry for five years. It also calls for those seeking asylum to have requested it from the countries they crossed before arriving at the U.S. border.

Still, all indications signal a chaotic scene at the border — as an old policy barring everyone from entering ends and a new one goes into effect.

The end of Title 42 is certain to spell hard times for local immigrant-relocation workers, who expect many of the Venezuelans, Cubans and Haitians to be headed for South Florida, where they will need social services.

DeSantis reacts

Not surprisingly, DeSantis said Wednesday he is ready to act on his own to stop immigrants from coming to our state. This is not a new stance for the governor.

He has gone after the undocumented and those who come to their aid before, including his high-profile stunt, the migrant flights to tony Martha’s Vineyard last year. This year, he has money in the budget to do more immigrant relocations.

It’s a good look — and great timing — in advance of his presumed run for the White House. (In fact, a deluged border crossing could be the perfect backdrop for his announcement.)

DeSantis on Wednesday signed an immigration legislative package that states that Florida will crack down on undocumented migrant labor, end community-funded programs that give undocumented immigrants identification cards and toughen penalties against those who transport undocumented immigrants into the state, the Miami Herald reported.

Florida is also ready to relaunch its controversial program allowing DeSantis to relocate immigrants anywhere in the country. That’s just what he did last year, when he paid to fly 49 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard.

With all this political posturing is easy to forget that the people at the border are desperate for a better life.

Ending Title 42 may have a positive impact on the humanitarian conditions at the border by allowing asylum seekers and other migrants to apply for protection. But it also could send us back to a wild and raucous border caused by the political parties’ unwillingness to come up with comprehensive immigration reform after far too many years.

Yes, Congress is to blame, too.

This story was originally published May 10, 2023 at 5:56 PM.