Minority Leader McCarthy predicts 'lawless surge of illegal border crossings' after Biden lifts Title 42

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Friday that President Biden's decision to revoke one of former President Donald Trump's policies on the southern border will lead to a massive influx of illegal immigrants, Fox News reports.

"Today's decision confirms that President Biden has abdicated his responsibilities at our borders and is actively working to make the border crisis worse," McCarthy said in a statement.

"This decision is wrong and will invite a lawless surge of illegal border crossings to enrich human traffickers and overwhelm our Border Patrol," he added. "This will inflict suffering, pain, and tragedy throughout our country."

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The policy, called Title 42, was implemented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) early in the COVID-19 pandemic, purportedly for public health reasons. It permitted the U.S. to quickly expel migrants at the southern border without permitting them to apply for asylum. The Biden administration, after facing significant criticism for leaving Title 42 in place for over a year, announced Friday the policy will be lifted on May 23.

The ACLU claimed last month that Title 42 was "not really about COVID-19" but was instead motivated by a "white nationalist" agenda.