TEXAS, USA — All eyes are on a federal Louisiana judge who is set to decide if Title 42 can expire next week.
According to CBS News, that ruling will take place by Friday.
The Trump-era policy has allowed officials to deport migrants immediately without a chance for asylum since the start of the pandemic.
The Biden administration wants to rescind Title 42 on Monday.
Rice University Center for the United States and Mexico Director Tony Payan said Title 42 initially started as a public health policy until the Trump administration used it to control immigration.
"The U.S. has been able to manage the flows better, but it hasn't deterred immigrants from coming to the border," Payan said.
With Title 42 in effect, border crossings have surged to all-time highs. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said more than 234,000 people crossed just last month and nearly 97,000 people were expelled under the policy.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say without it, border crossings could soar even higher.
The Biden Administration said daily crossings could reach up to 18,000 per day.
For perspective, Gov. Greg Abbott said over a year, that would equal the population of the Houston metro area.
The Department of Homeland Security said it's preparing for a surge by increasing resources and capacity at the southern border.
"When they're right at your doorstep, it's already too late," Payan said. "You now have to deal with them, and that's where we're at right now."
Payan said the government already has the legal tools to handle an influx at the border should Title 42 expire. How they'll end up handling it remains an open question.
Immigration advocates said that with or without Title 42, more needs to be done to solve the problem.
"By no means do we condone people coming this way," said Cesar Espinoza Executive Director at FIEL. "Title 42 is not a long-term fix, it's a patchwork to a broken system."