A federal judge in Louisiana on Friday blocked a decision by the US government to end the border closure to asylum seekers. The US Department of Justice says it will appeal the court decision.
Then-President Donald Trump introduced this so-called Title 42 during the corona pandemic to protect public health in the US. Trump gave the order in March 2020, as countries around the world closed their borders amid fears of greater spread of the coronavirus. Biden decided early last month that that argument no longer holds and announced that Title 42 would be abolished on May 23.
However, a group of Republican governors from more than 20 states took legal action to uphold the rule, fearing a tidal wave of migrants. Judge Robert Summerhays signed a ruling on Friday in which he ruled in their favour.
The decision leaves thousands of migrants in Mexican border towns uncertain about whether to apply for asylum in the US on Monday. A group of migrants has gathered outside the US consulate in Tijuana to voice their concerns.
Since the introduction of Title 42, approximately 1.8 million migrants and asylum seekers have been expelled from the US at an accelerated rate.