US lifting pandemic border expulsion policy in May

The United States announced it was lifting a public health order imposed because of the Covid-19 pandemic that required the immediate expulsion of migrants arriving at the southern border.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention's so-called Title 42 public health order would be lifted next month.

Republican lawmakers condemned the move, arguing that it will lead to a surge in arrivals, but it was welcomed by migrant advocates.

"Title 42 remains in place until May 23 and, until then, DHS will continue to expel single adults and families encountered at the Southwest border," Mayorkas said in a statement. 

Title 42, which was put in place in March 2020 by former president Donald Trump, required the expulsion of unauthorised single adults and family units arriving at US land borders -- not letting them apply for asylum -- to protect against the spread of Covid-19.

"After considering current public health conditions and an increased availability of tools to fight Covid-19... the CDC Director has determined that an Order suspending the right to introduce migrants into the United States is no longer necessary," the CDC said.

Mayorkas said more border agents were being deployed to "process new arrivals, evaluate asylum requests, and quickly remove those who do not qualify for protection."

"We will increase personnel and resources as needed and have already redeployed more than 600 law enforcement officers to the border," he said.

Migrant advocates had argued that Title 42 was becoming outdated as the pandemic eased and an affront to international conventions allowing people to claim asylum.

With the lifting of Title 42, "DHS will process individuals encountered at the border pursuant to Title 8, which is the standard procedure we use to place individuals in removal proceedings," Mayorkas said.