Administration officials have argued that the Public Health Service Act under Title 42 of U.S. code allows authorities to block immigrants from entering the country without due process for their asylum claims despite federal immigration laws and international accords.
Administration officials reported an average of fewer than 300 illegal border crossings per day recently, reflecting a 90 percent decrease from February 2024, Border Patrol chief Mike Banks told CBS News last week.
Trump also shut down an app created during the Biden administration that allowed immigrants to begin their asylum claims and make appointments with immigration officers before they reached the southern border.
The president has already ordered border officials to deport immigrants without recognizing a legal right to request asylum, which is protected under federal law and international human rights agreements.
Trump’s return to Title 42 enforcement follows a series of sweeping anti-immigration actions, from gutting the asylum process to directing federal law enforcement agencies to prioritize deportations and unilaterally redefining 14th Amendment protections for birthright citizenship.
