Under Title 42, there was a built-in incentive to cross the border illegally. As soon as Title 42 lifts, that's over. If you are caught crossing illegally, migrants know that you could be subject to criminal proceedings and most importantly, there's a five-year ban on re-entering the United States. And so the migrants that I talked to are terrified of this. This is the last thing that they want.
For weeks, officials have feared that the end of Title 42 would create a crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border that would strain and possibly cripple America’s immigration system.
Natalie Kitroeff, the New York Times bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, reports from the border about what actually happened when the pandemic-era policy expired.
Guest: Natalie Kitroeff, the New York Times bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
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