Trump Plans to Revive Border Closure Using Public Health Justification

President-elect Trump’s team is reportedly searching for a disease to reimplement Title 42 and block migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to reinstate Title 42, a policy used to expel migrants on public health grounds, by citing a new health emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Advisers in Trump’s transition team are reportedly investigating diseases such as tuberculosis and respiratory illnesses to justify invoking the policy.
Title 42, first implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, was ended by the Biden administration in May 2023 after officials stated there was no longer a public health rationale for its use.
Stephen Miller, a key Trump immigration adviser, is expected to play a central role in the policy’s return, having previously advocated for similar measures citing health concerns.
Critics argue that the approach is rooted in xenophobic rhetoric and lacks clear evidence of a significant health threat to support the policy’s reimplementation.