McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos sent a letter to President Biden urging him to reconsider lifting the policy that allows immigration authorities to turn away migrants seeking asylum due to COVID-19 concerns. 

The Biden Administration announced it would end Title 42 on May 23.

“Although our community is giving, well-prepared, and proactive, no amount of preparation will allow for a local government such as the City of McAllen to respond to the dramatic rise in undocumented migration that is anticipated as a direct result of the United States federal government announcing the end of Title 42,” Villalobos stated in the letter. “While there has been significant reprieve from the pandemic, current data suggests that the coronavirus once again poses a serious threat to public health.”

READ THE LETTER HERE

Of the migrants released directly into McAllen by U.S. customs and Border Protection since January 1, 2022, 12.3% of them tested positive for COVID-19, Villalobos added.

“McAllen will remain proactive and prepared but continues to call on the federal government to craft and implement sound immigration policies,” the city stated in a news release.