Biden officials release updated post-Title 42 plan amid bipartisan criticism

Facing bipartisan criticism over its decision to phase out a pandemic-related border expulsion rule known as Title 42, the Biden administration on Tuesday released updated plans describing how U.S. immigration authorities are preparing to deal with a potential spike in migrant arrivals once the Trump-era restrictions are lifted.

The 20-page memo issued by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is the most detailed plan the Biden administration has publicly released to outline the government's preparations ahead of the May 23 termination of Title 42, which has alarmed Republicans and some Democrats.

Mayorkas' memo outlined a six-part strategy: surging personnel and resources to the southern border; expanding migrant processing capacity; deportating, detaining or prosecuting some migrants; securing assistance from border organizations, cracking down on human smugglers and deterring migration across the Western Hemisphere.