Supreme Court temporarily pauses order meant to end Title 42

Immigrants cross the Rio Grande into El Paso, Texas
(Image credit: John Moore / Staff/Getty Images)

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued a brief order on Monday temporarily blocking the termination of the pandemic-era Title 42 immigration policy that is scheduled to end on December 21, CNN reports. Roberts' order came in response to an appeal from a group of Republican-led states who are challenging the plan to end the rule.

The temporary block means the Trump-era policy under which U.S. border officials can quickly expel migrants in the name of public health will remain in place until the justices rule on the emergency appeal. Last month, a federal district court judge ruled to eliminate the policy, deeming it "arbitrary and capricious."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, the lead representative for the GOP states, said in a statement that "getting rid of Title 42 will recklessly and needlessly endanger more Americans and migrants by exacerbating the catastrophe that is occurring at our southern border."

In response to Robert's order, the Department of Homeland Security said Title 42 will remain intact, and "individuals who attempt to enter the United States unlawfully will continue to be expelled to Mexico." The department added: "While this stage of the litigation proceeds, we will continue our preparations to manage the border in a safe, orderly, and humane way when the Title 42 public health order lifts."

Theara Coleman, The Week US

Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.