Poll: Majority Agree Title 42 Ending Will Increase Illegal Border Crossers

A majority of Americans agree that Title 42 ending will increase illegal border crossers, a recent survey from The Economist/YouGov found.

“Title 42 is set to end on May 11, when the national public health emergency over COVID-19 lapses. When Title 42 ends, do you think the number of people trying to enter the United States illegally will increase, decrease, or stay the same?” the survey, taken days before Title 42’s expiration, asked.

There seems to be a consensus, as 61 percent overall said illegal immigration will increase at least “a little.” Forty-three percent believe it will increase “a lot.” Just 18 percent said they believe illegal immigration will “stay the same,” and six percent expressed the belief that it will decrease at least a little.

There is a bipartisan consensus as well, as 54 percent of Democrats, 72 percent of Republicans, and 58 percent of independents believe the number of people attempting to enter the United States illegally will increase at least a little. Even 57 percent of Biden 2020 voters believe illegal immigration will increase at least a little due to Title 42’s expiration.

The survey also found most, 51 percent, indicating support for Congress passing legislation which would allow U.S. Border Patrol agents to “deport migrants without court hearings  when there is no public health justification.”

Three-quarters of Republicans, 76 percent, 46 precent of independents, and 34 percent of Democrats support such legislation.

WATCH: NewsNation Drone Footage Shows El Paso Border Day Before Title 42 Ends

NEWSNATION / TMX

The survey was taken May 6-9, 2023, among 1,500 United States adult citizens and comes as Title 42 ends this week.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said he is “not worried about” the implications of Title 42 ending and is under the illusion that the southern border is secure.

“Our border is secure,” he claimed during a recent interview on NBC Nightly News.

“The border is secure because we are maximizing our resources to deliver the most effective results to our border with the most extraordinary workforce in the world,” he added.

WATCH — Mayorkas: “Not Worried About Title 42” Ending — “The Border Is Secure Because We Are Maximizing Our Resources” for “Most Effective Workforce in the World”

The Trump-era policy, which ensured that border officials could quickly deport border crossers due to public health concerns, removed roughly 2.5 million illegal border crossers to date, as Breitbart News reported. But now, with Title 42’s expiration, the U.S. could see up to 390,000 illegal migrants at the border per month, according to estimates from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Roughly 5 million illegal aliens have crossed the border since President Biden took office in early 2021.