ARIZONA NEWS
Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema says DHS not prepared for end of Title 42
Apr 7, 2023, 4:35 AM
Migrants sit around a fire at a shelter on the U.S.-Mexico border in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Monday, Dec. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Christian Chavez)
(AP Photo/Christian Chavez)
PHOENIX — U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona doesn’t believe the Department of Homeland Security is ready for the end of Title 42, the COVID-related border policy that limits asylum-seekers’ entry to the country set to end next month.
Sinema told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Thursday that DHS has been “derelict in its duty” to prepare for the policy’s expected end on May 11.
“I have been trying to get them to prepare for this for well over a year, including introducing legislation that would extend the time that Title 42 exists in order for them to get their stuff together,” Sinema said.
“They haven’t done it, so I continue to urge the [Biden] administration to do it.”
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The policy’s end would increase migrant crossings at the southern border, a change Sinema believes could be overwhelming without proper preparations.
The independent senator wants to create five regional processing centers that would funnel migrants away from ports of entry and small towns.
Sinema believes that plan can be executed by DHS without legislative action.
“[DHS Secretary Alejandro] Mayorkas told me himself that he can implement that without the bill being passed,” Sinema said. “He should do that.”
Sinema and Mayorkas do believe Congress needs to action on long-term solutions at the border.
“We do need legislative action,” Sinema said. “And that’s what [Sen. Thom] Tillis and I are working on and building the bipartisan support for now.”
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Taylor Tasler contributed to this report.
