Written by Hudson Crozier

What’s happening: Title 42—a Trump-era policy used to expel migrants on the basis of a COVID-19 emergency—is set to expire December 21, per a federal court ruling.

Why it matters: Thousands of illegal border crossings already occur daily, and dozens of counties are overwhelmed. Even the Biden administration, which has persistently relaxed deportations and shaped the largest border crisis in U.S. history, is reluctant to end the policy and expects border crossings to increase to 18,000 per day.

The Biden administration’s response: The government has appealed the court ruling but says it will be prepared in case Title 42 ends this month. It has promised to employ new personnel, technology, and policies to increase deportations and asked Congress for over $3 billion in aid. Much of the administration’s border budget, however, is spent on transportation to help migrants into the country.

In Congress: The GOP has proposed an investigation into President Joe Biden’s immigration response and legislation to tighten border security, build a border wall, increase deportations, and more. Democrats have rejected this aggressive approach and are trying to pass amnesty protections for migrants who arrived in the U.S. as children.

Big picture

The Biden administration claims it will defend the border while keeping many of the strategies that have made it insecure, and Democrats are largely rejecting any tough response. Republicans, while signaling concerns through investigation and legislation, are unlikely to be able to do anything in time.