The Biden administration is reportedly considering a new policy that would allow Cuban, Haitian, and Nicaraguan migrants caught at the southwest border to enter the United States by air on humanitarian grounds, while simultaneously expelling them back to Mexico through pandemic-era restrictions known as Title 42.
According to three anonymous U.S. officials, this policy is being considered after the Supreme Court ruled that Title 42 must remain in place for the foreseeable future as a legal battle over its future continues, according to Reuters.
Title 42, which was implemented by former President Donald Trump in March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, allows border agents to rapidly expel migrants to Mexico without giving them the opportunity to seek asylum.
The U.S. has had tenuous diplomatic relations with the governments of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, making deportations to these countries complicated.
As a result, an increasing number of migrants from these countries have been arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum due to economic and political turmoil in their home countries.
The new rules for Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Haitians would be similar to a program already in place for Venezuelans, which was launched in October.
This program allows up to 24,000 Venezuelans outside of the U.S. to apply for entry into the country through “humanitarian parole” if they have a U.S. sponsor.
Venezuelans caught attempting to cross the border are generally returned to Mexico.
After Mexico agreed to accept Venezuelan deportees in October, the number of crossings dropped significantly, with some migrants even returning home.
Two of the anonymous officials stated that this policy shift for Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans could be implemented as soon as this week, while a third official stated that it could be applied to the first two groups this week and Nicaraguans at a later date.
However, a fourth official stated that no final decisions have been made.