Weekly U.S.

With this series of weekly updates, WOLA seeks to cover the most important developments at the U.S.-Mexico border. See past weekly updates here.

The pandemic-era "Title 42" authority expired at 11:59PM Eastern Time on May 11. Title 42 allowed U.S. authorities to expel undocumented migrants from the border, often into Mexico, suspending their legal right to ask for asylum in the United States.

Over its 38 months of operation, the Trump and Biden administrations used Title 42 to expel migrants over 2.8 million times. Now, the border will revert to normal immigration law. At the same time, a new rule will block asylum access to non-Mexican migrants who arrive between ports of entry without having been denied asylum in other countries along the way.

WOLA published an analysis piece on May 9 ( also available here in Spanish) laying out 10 facts about Title 42 and the restrictive regime and alternative pathways that will replace it. Rather than repeat that analysis, this week's Border Update focuses on breaking developments and links to other resources during this consequential week. (We are drafting this on the morning and mid-day of May 11, and as this is one of the top news developments in the United States, it is impossible to be comprehensive.)