Border Patrol carries out ‘business as usual’ with Title 42 still in place

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection released a memorandum on Thursday on new guidance if Title 42 ended, but became obsolete the next day due to a judge’s ruling.

“As far as that memo is concerned it goes to show we weren’t really prepared to begin with,” said Chris Cabrera, the vice president of the National Border Patrol Council.

Customs and Border Patrol sent out a new memo with guidance for BP agents, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers.

Cabrera said for now BP will conduct business as usual but believes there needs to be a better plan in place.

“We haven’t been prepared for some time, there’s really been no direction in place we just do what we’ve always done, we try to get them in then get them out as quick as we can,” said Cabrera. “I think there needs to be a plan put in place and right now there’s no plan in place.”

With much uncertainty, Cabrera said morale is low causing some agents to leave the profession.

“We’re not allowed to do our job, we’re hired for a certain job but we’re turned into paper-pushers and baby sitters,” said Cabrera.

What comes next with Title 42 is a series of court hearings, attorney Rick Barrera explained.

“It’s in the hands of the court because it’s dealing with the enforcement with a previous title or law on the federal level it was applied in a certain circumstance,” said Barrera.

Barrera added that it might make it to Supreme Court before a verdict is reached.

“It may end up in the highest court in the land which is the Supreme Court but may also go to the international court because we are a party to the international treaties involved,” said Barrera.

The Department of Homeland Security responded to the judge’s motion to block the end of Title 42 by releasing a statement on Friday.

According to the DHS’s website, their statement reads in part:

“DHS has established a Southwest Border Coordination Center to execute those plans. DHS will also increase personnel and resources as needed, and has already redeployed more than 600 additional law enforcement officers to the border.”