Ending of Title 42 could have impact on Carolinas

CHARLOTTE — Title 42, a policy blocking migrants from entering the U.S. during the pandemic, was officially lifted at midnight on Friday. Now, the country is introducing new measures to block migrants from entering the country.

A Florida federal judge has blocked a portion of the Biden administration’s parole plan for migrants. This ruling states that Border Patrol cannot release migrants without giving them a formal notice to appear in court. Border Patrol agents said this will cause even more overcrowding at their facilities.

Non-Mexican migrants must apply for and be denied asylum in another country first; they will also have to schedule an appointment at a port of entry using the Border Patrol app, according to new regulations by the Biden Administration. Anyone who does not follow the new regulations will be deported and unable to enter the U.S. again for five years.

Locally, many are nervous about the impact of a large group of migrants coming to our region.

Over the last few months, local centers in the Queen City have seen a large rise in asylum seekers coming to the Carolinas—the Camino Health Center has already seen a 300% increase.

Channel 9 reached out to local community leaders, who said they’re already stretched thin.

“Right now people are coming with absolutely nothing, so when they come here, they literally have nothing,” Sharise Johnson, executive director of Camino Health, said.

The Queen City is home to our region’s only immigration court, but Channel 9 has learned it could take up to a year for a migrant’s case to be heard. A local immigration attorney is warning people not to come to the Carolinas because of that wait time.

(WATCH BELOW: Mecklenburg County commissioners preparing for influx of migrants if Title 42 is lifted)

Mecklenburg County commissioners preparing for influx of migrants if Title 42 is lifted

©2023 Cox Media Group