President Joe Biden stayed mum on Friday (May 12) as chaos erupted on the southern border after Title 42 expired.
Title 42 — a Trump-era policy implemented during the COVID pandemic that discouraged border crossings for health reasons — ended overnight, going into Friday morning, causing thousands of migrants to arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border in hopes that they’ll be allowed entry into the country without many restrictions.
On Friday, the press was given entry to a bilateral meeting between Biden and Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in the Oval Office before being forced out by White House staff when they shouted questions at the president.
Biden sat quietly for over a minute, smiling and then chuckling before the press was ushered out of the Oval Office.
The Biden administration faces intense scrutiny and criticism over its handling of the U.S. southern border, especially as Title 42 ends.
Earlier on Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that a teenage immigrant from Honduras died while in custody at the U.S. border.
During her press briefing, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called news of the death “deeply saddening,” while revealing to reporters that she had not discussed the death with Biden and did not know if he had been told.
On Thursday (May 11), hours before Title 42 was set to expire, a federal judge blocked a Biden administration policy that allows immigrants to be released without a court date — just hours before Title 42 expires.
The White House called the decision “sabotage,” with Jean-Pierre rejecting the decision, saying that reports that “CBP is allowing or encouraging [the] mass release of migrants is categorically false.” She also explained that the Department of Justice would “fight” the ruling.
