A leading left-wing House member from Arizona is sounding the alarm over the looming expiration of Title 42, saying that border communities are “unequipped” to handle the expected flood of illegal crossings.
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz), who is challenging Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) in 2024, is demanding the Biden administration send more help.
“I’ve heard directly from leaders in our border communities and it’s abundantly clear that they, through no fault of their own, are simply unequipped to handle the surge of migrants that are expected when Title 42 ends,” Gallego said in a statement Thursday.
“They need tangible resources like buses, beds, personnel, and funds to both process asylum claims in an orderly way and keep their communities safe. It is imperative the Biden administration work directly, in real-time, with these communities to support them in every way they need,” he added.
Title 42, which allowed border authorities to expel migrants without first considering their asylum claims, is set to expire on May 11.
Gallego sent off four letters outlining his concerns to President Biden, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, House Appropriations Committee leadership, and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
Biden announced this week that his administration will dispatch 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border ahead of Title 42 sunsetting. The fear is once that policy expires, aspiring asylum-seekers will flood into the United States, overwhelming border communities.
“This deployment will impact my constituents in Arizona and across other border states — there must be transparency,” Gallego wrote to Biden. “I urge you to communicate with all relevant stakeholders, including local and county leaders whose communities would be affected by a surge in immigration.”
In his letter, Gallego requested details including which units will be deployed to the border, where they would be stationed, and how long they planned to stay. He also asked for Mayorkas and Criswell to coordinate with local officials and for the Appropriations Committee to allocate more funds to address the simmering crisis.
Gallego is challenging Sinema from the left after she switched her party affiliation from Democrat to Independent last December, setting the stage for a three-way election battle.
Sinema, 46, has been much sharper in her criticism of the Biden administration’s handling of the border crisis.
“The already dangerous situation in our border communities is expected to worsen when the Administration ends Title 42 on May 11 without a realistic plan in place to keep Arizona communities secure,” Sinema tweeted Thursday. “For more than a year, I have urged the Administration to prepare for the anticipated surge of migrant crossings when Title 42 ends.
“Not having a workable plan,” she added, “risks the safety and wellbeing of Arizona’s border communities and the migrants themselves.”