Many religious traditions preach the need to care for strangers, and after Title 42 restrictions at the U.S. border ended, debates about immigration and border security have heated up again – but the treatment of immigrants is deeply intertwined with religious freedom. Read more»

The Supreme Court has formally dismissed an Arizona-led effort to preserve Title 42, the pandemic-era immigration restriction that was officially ended by the Biden administration last week. Read more»

I've been waiting for the foretold catastrophic flood of migrants crossing the border after the end of Title 42. But early indications are that crossings have fallen precipitously, even as Pima County and social service workers have been handling the problem. Read more»

After pausing the Biden administration’s actions on a controversial asylum policy for months, the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the dismissal of a suit aimed at upholding Title 42 despite the waning COVID-19 emergency. Read more»

The end of a pandemic-era policy that allowed U.S. border authorities to quickly turn back some migrants has prompted a mixed reaction from state and local governments, with new restrictions on immigrant workers, beefed up border enforcement and entreaties for more federal help. Read more»

The number of encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border has dropped by half compared with the days leading up to the expiration of Title 42, though officials were "mindful that smugglers will continue to look for ways to take advantage of the change in border policies.” Read more»

Republicans have been warning that the end of Title 42 would bring calamity and overwhelm our nation with an invasion of our southern border. Guess what: Border crossings actually went down. Read more»

Mexico will stop granting transit permits to migrants in response to the United States’ lifting of Title 42, according to the country’s National Migration Institute (INM). Read more»

Pima County Administrator Jan Lesher seems to want to adjust the county's base budget upward a tad after the Great Recession forced supervisors to push it down. It's part of a plan to recruit talent and invest in roads, as the surplus reaches $159 million. Plus more in local government meetings this week. Read more»

As Title 42 lifted Thursday night, border towns like Nogales were quiet, but the Biden administration faces legal challenges — one from Florida's attorney general and the other from the ACLU — over how to manage migrants coming across the U.S.-Mexico border. Read more»

A top Biden administration official said on Friday that there was no “major influx” of migrants rushing to the southern border overnight after the expiration of the emergency public health order used to quickly expel people from the country. Read more»

A sharply divided U.S. House passed a border security package Thursday - dubbed the Secure the Border Act and approved largely along party lines - that was heavily influenced by Texas Republicans who took the reins on their party’s border agenda this year. Read more»

The Biden administration is projecting a sense of preparedness but sought to blame Congress for inaction, while Republican lawmakers attacked the administration for not taking a stronger stance on immigration, as human rights activists are sounding the alarm over a potential crisis. Read more»

In a rare sit-down with reporters, U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona said Thursday that border states are not prepared for the end of a pandemic-era measure called Title 42 used to expel millions of migrants at the border. Read more»

Migrants who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border without first seeking protection in a country they passed through – or without first applying online – will largely be denied asylum under a new immigration order that’s set to go into effect when Title 42 expires. Read more»