Over the past few days, migrants fleeing the war in Ukraine have made their way to northern Mexico and been waved through the U.S. southern border, putting an end to a short but harrowing journey to seek safety in a foreign land. Yards away, equally desperate travelers from Central and South America, Haiti, Cameroon and elsewhere watched as the Ukrainians were afforded the very same opportunity they’d waited months for.
Little better illustrates the absurdity of Title 42, a supposed COVID-19 response measure that, starting with President Donald Trump and continuing with President Joe Biden, has allowed the federal government to expel would-be asylum-seekers without due process more than 1.7 million times.
Countless public health experts, including former CDC officials, have testified to its uselessness at combating virus spread. It’s always been a political tool to restrict access to asylum, which is why news that the administration is considering a May 23 wind-down of the policy comes as a return to sanity.
