It was akin to a Hail Mary pass. Nineteen states appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in order to keep Title 42 in place, which would’ve kept asylum restrictions in place. But a three-judge panel denied their request on Friday night. The court said the states waited too long. Now it will be lifted on December 21 — next Wednesday — unless further appeals are filed.

However, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is not ready to throw in the towel, and plans to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Score a major win for immigration advocates, who had sued to have Title 42 lifted. They argued that the US had abandoned its commitment to provide refuge for people fleeing persecution. Last month a judge agreed with the advocates, and order the restriction to be lifted, calling it “arbitrary and capricious.”

What Did Title 42 Do Anyway?

Title 42 came out of the Trump administration as a response to the Covid pandemic. But it was originally part of a 1944 public health law which aimed to keep disease out of the country, and it applies to all nationalities. The current application of has been used about 2.5 million times since March, 2020. But immigration advocates say that vaccines and treatments have rendered the Covid argument moot.

So come Wednesday this major roadblock will be removed, and the floodgates will be opened. But it’s not as if there’s not already a major crisis across the entire US southern border, which began largely with the ascent of the Biden administration.

The Border Is Already in Crisis

Waiting in the border town of Tijuana, Mexico, are some 5000 migrants in 30 shelters across the city. Meanwhile, in Reynosa, near McAllen, Texas, nearly 300 migrants are crammed into the Casa del Migrante. They’re sleeping on bunk beds and even on the floor.

Also in Reynosa, in a shelter called Senda da Vida 2, opened by an evangelical pastor, there are 3000 people living in tents pitched on concrete and gravel. Flies are everywhere, even in December. And that’s the second shelter the pastor built; the first Senda da Vida had reached capacity.

Meanwhile, across the border in the United States, towns have already been dealing with illegal migrants who made it across the border. El Paso residents, for example, are experiencing what it’s like to be overwhelmed by people they didn’t invite.

One woman described how a man approached her and asked if he could hide in her garage:

“This guy came up to me and just asked if he could hide in my garage for a few minutes, so it startled me. I said no. He didn’t bother me; he wasn’t aggressive he wasn’t assertive or anything I just said no, and he kept on walking, he had a little bit of blood on him, a little on his hands a little on his face.”

Migrants have also been leaving clothes behind in El Paso neighborhoods. One woman told a local news station:

“(They) go through the sidewalks and sometimes they’re changing and leaving the clothes out in the street.”

Meanwhile, on the banks of the Rio Grande near El Paso, migrants are building fires to stave off the cold as temperatures have dropped to freezing. Some of them also told local media that they were aware that Title 42 was about to be lifted.

Just wait until next Wednesday when the floodgates open.

After Title 42 is Lifted, Even Greater Chaos Will Ensue

On Thursday, National Border Patrol council president Brandon Judd appeared on Fox Business, warning that all hell will break loose if Title 42 were to be lifted.

Meanwhile, reporter Bill Melugin reported that Texas authorities are bracing for impact by installing shipping containers at migrant crossing points.

“Texas authorities are bringing in more shipping containers to place in a popular illegal crossing area here in Eagle Pass. Title 42 is set to drop in 6 days. Enormous surge expected with it.”

NEW: Texas authorities are bringing in more shipping containers to place in a popular illegal crossing area here in Eagle Pass. Title 42 is set to drop in 6 days. Enormous surge expected with it. @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/f2xICLPhnt

— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) December 15, 2022

Melugin also tweeted video of an enormous migrant caravan illegally entering El Paso. He said it was the largest single group he had ever seen. Meanwhile, the local Border Patrol currently has over 5000 in custody, but also had released hundreds to city streets.

BREAKING: A huge migrant caravan of over 1,000 people crossed illegally into El Paso, TX last night, making it the largest single group we have ever seen. The city of El Paso reports Border Patrol now has over 5,000 in custody & has released hundreds to city streets. @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/ewUQX757Lt

— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) December 12, 2022

Plus, Sara Carter of Fox News, who has also been reporting from the southern border, tweeted a picture of the graves of migrants who died while attempting to enter the United States.

Screenshot: @SaraCarterDC.

And then there’s all those illegal drugs that cartels have been smuggling over the border with the migrants.

“CBP officers at the port of entry in Nogales, Arizona have made another major fentanyl bust. 230,000 fentanyl pills, 62.6 lbs of meth, and 13 lbs of cocaine. All hidden by drug smugglers. Since last Thurs, CBP has seized almost 2 million fentanyl pills there.”

NEW: CBP officers at the port of entry in Nogales, Arizona have made another major fentanyl bust.
230,000 fentanyl pills, 62.6 lbs of meth, and 13 lbs of cocaine.
All hidden by drug smugglers.
Since last Thurs, CBP has seized almost 2 million fentanyl pills there. @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/R9mQyMNpl4

— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) December 16, 2022

Gee, what more could possibly go wrong when Title 42 is lifted?

But earlier on Friday White House Press Ditz Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed that President has been working really, really hard to secure the border. From Day One, no less! And it’s those dastardly Republicans who are engaging in “political stunts” — like the governors of the 19 Republican states who wanted to maintain Title 42, one presumes.

“What Americans should know is that the president has done the work to deal with what we’re seeing at the border since day one.”

“We continue to see political stunts from many Republicans out there and that’s not how we’re going to fix this issue.”

That’s simultaneously laughable and pathetic. It’s laughable that anyone would believe the utter hogwash she spews. But pathetic when one considers the tragedies that will occur in greater numbers when Title 42 is gone — among not only the migrants who are trafficked and murdered by cartels, but also among Americans who will die from being poisoned by fentanyl and other illegal drugs.

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons/public domain.