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U.S. NEWS Friday 16 december 2022

U.S. plans for more migrant releases when asylum limits end

By REBECCA SANTANA and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-
ELLIOT SPAGAT Texas, said Customs and
Associated Press Border Protection officials
WASHINGTON (AP) — The told him Wednesday that
Department of Homeland about 50,000 migrants are
Security said more migrants believed to be waiting to
may be released into the cross once Title 42 is lifted.
United States to pursue Authorities plan to admit
immigration cases when those seeking asylum who
Trump-era asylum restric- go through ports of entry
tions end next week, when but return to Mexico those
a Texas congressman says who cross illegally between
some border officials es- official crossings, Cuellar
timate about 50,000 mi- said in an interview. It was
grants could be waiting to unclear how they will return
cross into the U.S. nationalities that Mexico
In one of its most detailed won’t accept like Cubans
assessments ahead of the and Nicaraguans and are
major policy shift, the de- difficult to send home due
partment reported faster to strained diplomatic rela-
processing for migrants tions and other challenges.
in custody on the border, Administration officials are
more temporary detention developing additional
tents, staffing surges and Migrants wait to cross the US-Mexico border from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, Wednesday, Dec. 14, measures, which Cuellar
increased criminal pros- 2022. Associated Press said they would not dis-
ecutions of smugglers, not- close. “I think the first week
ing progress on a plan an- A federal judge in Wash- kas traveled this week to best route, said Nicolas is going to be a little bit of
nounced in April. ington ordered Title 42 to El Paso, Texas, which wit- Palazzo, an attorney at Las chaos,” he said. U.S. offi-
But the seven-page docu- end Dec. 21 but Repub- nessed a large influx Sun- Americas Immigrant Advo- cials in El Paso are currently
ment dated Tuesday in- lican-led states asked an day after becoming the cacy Center in El Paso. exempting 70 migrants dai-
cluded no major structural appeals court to keep it in busiest corridor for illegal Like other advocacy ly from Title 42, said Pala-
changes amid unusually place. The Biden adminis- crossings in October. El groups that work directly zzo, who questioned how
large numbers of migrants tration has also challenged Paso has been a magnet with directly with Homeland officials will handle more
entering the country. More some aspects of the ruling, for Venezuelans, Nicara- Security, Palazzo said he people.
are expected with the end though it doesn’t oppose guans, Cubans, Colom- has had no conversations Unless they raise process-
of Title 42 authority, under letting the rule lapse next bians, Ecuadoreans and with the department about ing capacity significantly,
which migrants have been week. The legal back-and- other nationalities. post-Title 42 planning. One migrants who go through
denied rights to seek asylum forth could go down to the The geographic shift to Tex- key question: How will au- official crossings may be
more than 2.5 million times wire. as’ westernmost reaches thorities process migrants told to wait a year or so for
on grounds of preventing Homeland Security Sec- was likely a result of smug- who have long been wait- an appointment, said Pala-
spread of COVID-19. retary Alejandro Mayor- glers’ calculations on the ing to seek asylum? zzo. q

White House reveals winter COVID-19 plans, more free tests

By ZEKE MILLER ting personnel and equip- practices to nursing homes gram in September. New ities. The Biden administra-
AP White House Correspon- ment on standby should and long-term care facili- tests would be procured tion is still asking Congress
dent they be needed to help ties for virus prevention and to replace tests distributed for billions of dollars in ad-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The overwhelmed hospitals treatment and is urging ad- over the coming weeks un- ditional funding for the virus
Biden administration is and nursing homes, as was ministrators as well as gov- der existing funding author- response.q
again making some free necessary in earlier waves ernments to encourage
COVID-19 tests available to of the virus. So far, there vulnerable populations to
all U.S. households as it un- have been no requests get the new shots.
veils its contingency plans for assistance, but surge The planning comes as the
for potential coronavirus teams, ventilators and per- administration has strug-
surges this winter. sonal protective equip- gled to persuade most
After a three-month hia- ment are ready, the White Americans to get the up-
tus, the administration is House said. dated boosters as cases
making four rapid virus The Biden administration is and deaths have declined
tests available per house- also urging states and local from pandemic highs and
hold through covidtests. governments to do more to most people have em-
gov starting Thursday. CO- encourage people to get braced a return to most of
VID-19 cases have shown a the updated bivalent CO- their pre-pandemic activi-
marked increase after the VID-19 vaccines, which sci- ties.
Thanksgiving holiday, and entists say are more effec- A White House official said
further increases are pro- tive at protecting against the new tests would come
jected from indoor gath- serious illness and death from the national stockpile, President Joe Biden speaks to African leaders gathered for
ering and travel around from the currently circulat- which still has reserves after the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, in
Christmas and New Year’s. ing variants. The adminis- the administration shut off Washington.
The administration is put- tration is reiterating best the at-home testing pro- Associated Press