Ted Hesson, Veronica Cardenas

HARLINGEN-TEXAS (Reuters), – U.S. Alejandro Mayorkas (Handymen Security Secretary) visited the U.S.-Mexico Border in South Texas Tuesday. He pushed a harder message to restore consequences for those who cross illegally. His approach is countering some criticisms by Republicans and Democrats about President Joe Biden’s.

News camera crews were allowed to capture migrants boarding a flight from Guatemala on a morning visit to the U.S. border. Officials at Border Patrol told Mayorkas that they need more manpower and technology to handle the record-breaking number of crossings.

The U.S. government is currently authorized to expel migrants from Mexico and other countries as part of Title 42, a public health law that was created to stop the spread COVID-19. These expulsions are so rapid that migrants can no longer claim asylum. However, they also protect them against possible criminal charges and encourage repeated attempts to cross the border.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Title 42 has been declared no longer required for health reasons and will be ending on May 23. However, federal courts temporarily blocked the termination.

This week, the Louisiana-based Federal Judge will rule on whether it should be blocked by a lawsuit filed by a group of Republican Attorney Generals.

Mayorkas, along with other high-ranking U.S. officials, have used a more aggressive message in recent weeks to support the Title 42 rollback. They stated that deportations (which can include bars for re-entry) are better deterrents to terrorists than fast expulsions.

Both sides have criticised Biden’s lack of a proper plan to deal with a potential rise in crossings, which could be associated with the Title 42 Termination.

According to data from the government, U.S. Border Patrol agents detained 202,000 migrants in southwest border areas in April. This is a slight decrease over March, but not far off historical highs.