Oversight Republicans push for answers on DHS plans to handle border surge when Title 42 lifts

FIRST ON FOX: Republicans on the House Oversight Committee are calling for answers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about its plans to deal with an expected spike in numbers at the southern border when the Biden administration ends Title 42 in May.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced on Friday that it will be ending Title 42, which has been used by both the Biden and Trump administrations to quickly expel migrants at the border due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on May 23.

REPUBLICAN STATES SUE TO STOP BIDEN ADMIN'S LIFTING OF TITLE 42 BORDER POLICY 

Republicans, as well as some Democrats and border officials, have warned that the move will lead to an even bigger migrant surge at the border. The administration has acknowledged that it expects an increase in numbers in the coming months.

Republicans on the Committee, led by Ranking Member James Comer, wrote on Tuesday to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on the matter, and noted that it is being lifted when some COVID-19 restrictions are still in place for Americans.

"The administration has decided to prioritize rescinding this order over rescinding mask and vaccine mandates for the American people," they write, before warning about more chaotic scenes at the border.

"Immigration experts predict that rescinding the CDC’s Title 42 order will even further overwhelm U.S. Border Patrol officers and facilities.  DHS must adequately prepare to respond to the impending border surge to prevent exacerbating the ongoing national security and humanitarian catastrophe," they say.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO LIFT TITLE 42 AT END OF MAY, DESPITE FEARS OF LOOMING MIGRANT WAVE 

The letter notes that the border has already seen massive numbers of encounters. There were more than 1.7 million encounters in FY 2021, and the U.S. has already seen more than a million encounters in the first six months of FY 2022. 

Sources told Fox News that on Friday there were approximately 8,000 encounters at the border. The Oversight Republicans note reports of Border Patrol facilities already over capacity, with migrants being released into the U.S.

"The decision to rescind CDC’s Title 42 order is basically gifting a pandemic relief package for Transnational Criminal Organizations that control the human smuggling routes and crossings," they say. "Cartels have already profited from the lawlessness bringing contraband, including highly lethal fentanyl, and criminal aliens into the U.S. This will continue, but at an accelerated rate."

As part of their oversight responsibilities, they ask for all documents and communications related to the lifting of Title 42 between CDC and the Department of Homeland Security, projections on potential apprehensions, as well as an explanation of preparations being taken to respond to a surge in numbers. That includes documents related to targeting cartels, increasing custody space and increasing Border Patrol’s ability to apprehend illegal immigrants.

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The Biden administration has put out a fact-sheet detailing how it is planning to deal with an increase in numbers at the border, while DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday claimed that the agency has "put in place a comprehensive, whole-of-government strategy to manage any potential increase in the number of migrants encountered at our border."

"We are increasing our capacity to process new arrivals, evaluate asylum requests, and quickly remove those who do not qualify for protection," he said in a statement. "We will increase personnel and resources as needed and have already redeployed more than 600 law enforcement officers to the border. We are referring smugglers and certain border crossers for criminal prosecution. Over the next two months, we are putting in place additional, appropriate COVID-19 protocols, including ramping up our vaccination program."