A migrant policy is set to end. What will it mean for US’s commitment as a land of refuge?

Government leaders are advancing hardline policies to keep migrants out as pandemic-era Title 42 restrictions are expected to lift

The right to seek asylum in the United States is in the balance as migrants fleeing violence and instability at home anxiously await a chance at safety – amid a major policy shift at the US’s southern border.

The Title 42 public health order – which has allowed officials to quickly expel migrants without giving them access to asylum for years now – is expected to finally end on 11 May. What does this mean for the US’s historic commitment as a beacon for freedom from persecution?

Alexandra Villarreal is a policy and advocacy associate at the National Immigration Forum.