By Natalia Rueda 
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Thursday, May 11th, the upcoming end of Title 42, a measure that was implemented under the Donald Trump administration in March of 2020. Title 42 aimed to slow the spread of the coronavirus by allowing the expulsion of more people who illegally crossed the US border. Despite this repeal, the US government is emphatic in urging migrants to refrain from traveling without papers.
Alejandro Mayorkas, the Secretary of Homeland Security, has stated that the repeal of Title 42 does not equate to greater facilities for those entering the nation without papers. Under Title 8 “The border is not open,” he said. “Arriving on May 11, we are going to use the immigration authorities and we are going to impose more severe consequences than those of Title 42: people will be expelled and they will be prohibited from entering the United States for at least five years.”
According to figures collected by CNN, the DHS estimates that the number of people seeking to cross the US border daily would double if the controversial sanitary measure is repealed. This number is estimated to be between 9,000 and 14,000, which puts the magnifying glass on what policy the government will apply. In order to deal with the expected influx of migrants, the Biden administration has taken the initiative to create regional processing centers in Latin America where immigrants can apply for entry into the United States
It is clear that the US government is sending a strong message to those considering crossing the border without papers: the border is not open, and those who attempt to do so will face severe consequences. The end of Title 42 certainly does not mean an open door policy for those without papers.