MIDLAND, Texas — In late May, Title 42 is set to be repealed. The policy allows the government to turn back immigrants trying to enter the country under the guidelines of a public health emergency, such as COVID-19.
It went into effect about two years ago, and it was one of the biggest border restrictions kept over from the Trump administration.
U.S. Congressman August Pfluger did not mince words when he found out that it was going to be repealed, calling it a "terrible decision."
Pfluger is working on bipartisan legislation to push back on the repeal, and he said that the co-sponsor of the bill is from Maine.
"I think the important note on it is that it would reinstate Title 42, and there’s bipartisan support for that," Pfluger said.
A repeal of Title 42 would have major impacts all across the state, including here in west Texas.
"This administration has abdicated their responsibilities, and every single person in our local communities will feel the pain in the form of drugs and violence," Pfluger said. "Communities that are being impacted every single day, even right here in west Texas."
It's one reason why Pfluger is keeping touch with Texas legislators.
"We had a meeting amongst all the Republican congressmen and women from Texas this week to discuss how we’re gonna go forward," Pfluger said. "I mean we can introduce all the legislation we want. The fact is that President Biden is refusing and in fact doubling down against those efforts."