With U.S. Code Title 42 set to expire on May 3, ranchers in South Texas are bracing for what they expect will be a massive surge of illegal immigrants.
Title 42 evolved from a federal health order enacted in 1944 and prohibits people from entering the United States during a pandemic to mitigate the spread of disease. On March 20, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) amended the order to expel illegal immigrants without allowing them a chance to apply for asylum (pdf).
On July 16, 2021, the CDC issued an exception for unaccompanied noncitizen children.
‘It’s Getting Worse’
Dr. Michael L. Vickers—the owner and president of Las Palmas Veterinary Hospital in Falfurrias, Texas—is a member of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association, the Texas Farm Bureau, and the Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. He’s also chairman of the Texas Border Volunteers, a 300-strong volunteer force that assists the Texas Rangers, local law enforcement, and agents of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in monitoring over a million acres of private property in counties along the 1,254 miles of continuous Texas/Mexico border. The border consists of 28 international bridges, two dams, one hand-drawn ferry, and 25 other crossings for commercial, vehicular, and foot traffic, according to the Texas Department of Transportation….