Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke (D) is no stranger to changing his stance on hot-button political issues. The Joe Biden-caused border crisis is no exception.
In an interview with MSNBC over the weekend, O'Rourke said it is time for Title 42 to no longer be enforced at the U.S.-Mexico border, arguing it should have never been put in place at all. Title 42 allowed Border Patrol agents to quickly expel illegal immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Biden administration is ending its enforcement on May 23, a dangerous move praised by immigration advocates, but criticized by Republicans and the Border Patrol union.
Earlier this month, O'Rourke said Biden should not end the use of Title 42 because a plan needs to be in place for the border towns to deal with the excepted influx of illegal crossings. Now, he claims the Biden administration has plan to deal with the surge, though critics say the plan is just to process people out at an even faster rate than before.
"I think it is time to end Title 42. I don’t think we should never implemented it. It is a cynical reading of U.S. laws that have done nothing to improve public health or safety. When I listen to Border Patrol agents, they tell me it increases the number of migrants crossing and increase more chaos because Jonathan, as you know those agents are forced to turn away those migrant seekers of processing them and detaining them or applying them asylum. They are crossing again and again every single day of the week," O'Rourke said.
"The challenge for the Biden administration is to make sure we have the capacity in our border communities to process those who’ll now be able to lawfully claim or seek to claim asylum in this country. When you listen to mayors and sheriff in the communities like Del Rio, Texas, they don’t have the capacity to handle this right now. I now know the administration can come up with something. Jonathan, yes, it is time to end title 42. Let’s make sure we are doing it responsibly."
The Department of Homeland Security is bracing for encountering up to 18,000 illegal immigrants a day in the first few weeks once Title 42 is lifted, more than double what Border Patrol is currently encountering.