More than 20 Republican-led states are seeking a temporary restraining order against the Biden administration over its plan to prematurely end enforcement of the Title 42 border policy.
"This suit challenges an imminent, man-made, self-inflicted calamity: the abrupt elimination of the only safety valve preventing this administration's disastrous border policies from devolving into an unmitigated catastrophe," the complaint states.
"Given that the enormous potential harms identified in the States' preliminary injunction motion are likely already occurring, the States respectfully request that this Court enter a temporary restraining order ("TRO") against any implementation of the Termination Order before its May 23 effective date, and require Defendants to continue processing migrants pursuant to Title 42 rather than Title 8."
Title 42 is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention border security policy permitting border authorities to turn away those who have crossed the border illegally and those seeking asylum unilaterally due to the health risks amid the pandemic. It was started under then-President Donald Trump.
The administration has announced plans to end the policy on May 23, though the Biden administration is reportedly weighing extending the restrictions of illegal and asylum-based border entries, according to Axios.
Several Democrats have publicly opposed lifting the policy.
"Unless we have a well-thought-out plan, I think it is something that should be revisited and perhaps delayed," Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., told the Washington Examiner on Tuesday. "I'm going to defer judgment on that until I give the administration opportunity to fully articulate what that plan is."
The attorneys general of Arizona, Louisiana, Missouri, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming signed on to the temporary restraining order.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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