Kristina Cooke and Ted Hesson

WASHINGTON (Reuters), – U.S. officials have begun to prepare for the possible influx of thousands of migrants daily across the U.S. border with Mexico. The pace could surpass last year’s records as the Biden administration ponders lifting a COVID era order that currently blocks most asylum seekers.

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, DHS is prepared to accept as many 18,000 migrants per hour in the coming weeks. But, it also prepares for an increase of 12,000 daily arrivals or levels similar to current levels. A Tuesday conference call was held by an official of DHS with journalists. The agency requested anonymity for internal issues.

However, the official didn’t provide any information on the daily number of migrants that cross the border. According to two U.S. government sources, approximately 5,000 migrants had arrived daily as of mid March, according to Reuters.

A second DHS representative on the call stated it was unclear if the COVID-era Order would increase immigration, but that preparations were being made.

The deadline for U.S. health officers to terminate, amend or renew Title 42 COVID-19 is this week. In an effort to stop the spread of the disease, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention implemented the order in March 2020 under the former Republican President Donald Trump. It has been maintained by U.S. President Joe Biden (a Democrat).

Title 42 allows U.S. border officers to “expel” Mexican migrants within hours, or quickly send them to another country without giving the possibility to apply for asylum.

Immigrant rights activists, leading Democrats and health professionals argue the policy violates immigration laws and places migrants in danger in Mexico. Scientific evidence also doesn’t support the stated goal of reducing the spread the virus. They condemned Biden’s decision to keep it in place, despite Trump’s promises to repeal his most restrictive immigration policies.

Republicans in the United States have declared that rising illegal immigration to the U.S. border with Mexico is a key attack line ahead of the Nov. 8, congressional election. Democrats are at risk of losing control over Congress and thereby limiting Biden’s legislative agenda.

Reuters reports that Biden officials are considering ending the order, after court decisions made its use more complicated and U.S. Health officials moved to ease pandemic restrictions across the country. DHS announced Monday that it has begun giving COVID-19 vaccinations to migrants held at the border.

Biden’s administration stated that the decision to lift this order rests with CDC. CDC declined comment.

INCREASED FEDERAL STAFFING

DHS officials informed Congress earlier this month that thousands of migrants could be arriving at the border within an hour of Title 42 being removed. More than one million could also arrive in south Mexico, the aide who was briefed about the issue.

DHS didn’t respond to my request for comment regarding these estimates.

One of DHS’s officials stated that additional temporary facilities are being built along the border. Some of these will be available by April 1. The person stated that DHS also works to increase staffing and transport, as part of a multi-agency effort with federal agencies who work with immigrant workers.

Although the FEMA, an agency which responds to major disasters such as floods or storms, has been assisting in the planning process, the Administration has not yet issued a formal disaster declaration.

DHS has been working with DHS to develop a system for asylum-seekers to register electronically, and then schedule a time when they can approach legal ports of entry. This would be part of an “orderly” process, one DHS official stated.

Many asylum seekers have been waiting in Mexico for several months for restrictions to be removed. Reuters spoke to five LGBTQ refugees from Jamaica who were stuck in Tijuana in Mexico for the past few weeks. Some of them said that they turned to prostitution as they couldn’t work legally in Mexico and face discrimination.