Title 42 lifted at US-Mexico border as massive migrant surge expected

At 11:59 pm on Thursday, Title 42 officially expired, bringing an end to a pandemic-era rule enacted by former President Donald Trump that allowed the quick expulsion of illegal immigrants to protect public health.

At the border near Brownsville, Texas, razor wire fences with soldiers on the US side of the fence to deter illegal crossings. According to Fox News’ Bill Melugin, the fences have appeared to be working, with crossing down to a "trickle vs a rush."

Footage from Tayler Hansen on Thursday shows the soldiers standing guard in the US, while small groups of illegal immigrants gathered on the other side of the fence.

Some have been told to walk back to Mexico, with one video showing two men with children on their shoulders turning back across the Rio Grande River.

Texas has by far the largest area of potential crossing zones, with 1,254 miles of the border shared with Mexico. The state with the next-largest length of border shared with Mexico is Arizona, at 375 miles.

It is currently unclear how long the razor wire fences will remain up for.

Hansen walked through a growing migrant camp in Matamoros, Mexico outside of Brownsville, Texas, showing thousands of illegal immigrants awaiting the expiration of Title 42.

In McAllen, Texas, around 60 miles west of Brownsville, another group was seen, this time upwards of 15,000 Haitians in Reynosa, Mexico waiting to cross the border. A government helicopter was seen circling the group.

Those that have made it across the border are being processed, with a large group being seen in Brownsville being processed. National Guard troops were seen stationed in the area.

Texas has by far the largest area of potential crossing zones, with 1,254 miles of the border shared with Mexico. The state with the next-largest length of border shared with Mexico is Arizona, at 375 miles.

Illegal immigrants processed in Brownsville were seen opening their Department of Homeland Security packets, which includes a government-issued cell phone. Some of the migrants revealed to Hansen that their court dates are as far out as 2027.

In El Paso, at least three buses were seen departing overnight with illegal immigrants on board. Border authorities were seen blocking the view of the media while the migrants got on the buses.

The Biden administration, in Title 42’s place, has enacted a different Trump-era rule in an effort to curb illegal immigration by expelling those who haven’t applied for asylum in another country, like Mexico.