It Could Happen Here CZM Rewind: Title 42: How a Public Health Law Kills Refugees
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Oct 14, 2025 Gustavo Solis, a border investigative reporter with KPBS, dives deep into Title 42's impact on immigration policy. He explains how this public health law was misused by the Trump administration to expel migrants during the pandemic. Listeners learn about the harsh realities faced by expelled refugees—including lost belongings and increased dangers. Solis also critiques the flawed design of the CBP-1 app that favors wealthier migrants and shares insights on why the scientific rationale for Title 42 lacked credibility.
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Title 42 Was A Law Repurposed For Migration Control
- Title 42 is a 1944 public health authority repurposed to expel migrants without asylum hearings.
- CDC scientists and outside public health experts said it lacked a real public health rationale from the start.
Expulsions Increased Deadly Border Crossings
- Title 42 expulsions pushed migrants into more dangerous crossings and remote routes.
- Border deaths rose sharply from 247 in 2020 to 857 in 2022 during Title 42 enforcement.
Found Piles Of Abandoned Belongings
- James and a friend found piles of migrants' belongings and IDs along the border near the National Butterfly Center.
- They discovered full backpacks, documents, and abandoned items showing the human traces of expulsions.