ODESSA, Texas — Title 42 will be repealed in late May. The policy, enacted as a response to COVID-19, allows the government to turn back immigrants trying to enter the United States because of public health concerns.
Governor Greg Abbott announced more border security measures last week in response to the Biden administration saying it would end Title 42.
NewsWest 9 spoke with Brooks Landgraf, Republican State Representative for Texas. He believes when the repeal goes into effect, it will impact the state in more ways than one.
"By the Biden administration's own estimates, it could lead to up to an increase in about 18,000 migrant crossings each day," said Landgraf. "That can constitute about half a million per year. In Texas, we need to have a plan to handle that and respond to it."
One of Gov. Abbott's announcements said Texas could start busing migrants to Washington D.C. on a voluntary basis. All that as a way to give relief to local officials.
"The state needs to help our communities to be able to deal with this influx," said Landgraf. "Other policies that have to do with vehicle inspections are a good idea, but we also need a balance that inspection process to make sure we have the streams of commerce still open across the border."
The Texas Department of Public Safety will also start to enhance safety inspections on trucks as they cross points of entry into Texas. The state-conducted inspections would be performed in addition to inspections already performed by the federal government.
"Having the Texas Department of Public Safety play a role in that process to make sure we have safe highways," said Landgraf. "Also, if that puts extra eyes on the border security front, that is a good thing."
Overall, Rep. Landgraf believes the measures in the state are put in place with safety in mind.
"Since January of 2021, under the Biden administration, the state of Texas has not gotten the help from the federal government we had been accustomed to," said Landgraf. "We don't want drugs coming into the community, we don't want human trafficking or sex trafficking coming through Texas, so if that means we have to step up and do it ourselves that is what we are doing."