Congress Must Act If It Wants to Extend Title 42 Immigration Measure: WH

Congress will have to act if it wants to extend a sweeping, pandemic-related expulsion policy known as Title 42 that has effectively closed down the U.S. asylum system, the White House said on Wednesday.

"Right now we are planning and preparing for the end of Title 42 enforcement on May 23rd," White House spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters about the Trump administration measure.

She noted that President Joe Biden wanted to reform the immigration system and that some lawmakers favored a delay of Title 42 implementation while others oppose it. "This would all require congressional action. We're happy to have that conversation with them."

Pressure has been building on the Biden administration to delay plans to lift Title 42, with Republicans and even some Democrats concerned that this will lead to a further surge of illegal immigration at the southern border. Those concerns are particularly acute with midterm elections approaching and Republicans looking to retake control of one or both chambers of Congress. Immigration looms large as an election issue among voters.