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WASHINGTON — With the pandemic-era immigration policy Title 42 set to expire on Thursday, two members of Utah's congressional delegation have been outspoken in blaming the Biden administration for what they call a crisis at the southern border.
Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, last week told Fox News he believes Democrats are responsible for "intentionally" creating chaos at the border. In response to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, calling President Joe Biden "clueless" over border issues, Stewart accused the other party of being willful.
"House Democrats aren't clueless on the border," he tweeted. "It's worse than that. This chaos seems to be their intention."
The Department of Homeland Security estimates that border crossings will double once Title 42 is lifted. The policy, first implemented by former President Donald Trump, allowed the U.S. to expel migrants without processing their asylum claims in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Biden announced plans to send 1,500 troops to help secure the U.S.-Mexico border last week. He also plans to replace Title 42 with a similar policy of rejecting claims of asylum for people who cross the border without seeking refuge in Mexico first.
Immigration advocates have criticized the new policy as one that will likely lead to the deportation of many migrants without giving them the opportunity to apply for asylum, according to the New York Times.
Stewart said Biden has failed to propose a plan of his own to address border security following the end of Title 42, and pointed to a border bill House Republicans plan to vote on this week.
"@POTUS needs to stop gaslighting the American people and start working for them," Stewart tweeted.
What's in the House GOP's border bill?
House Republicans are expected to vote on their Secure the Border Act on Thursday, to coincide with the end of Title 42.
The bill includes some Trump-era policies, including expanding construction on a border wall. But it could make it harder for migrants to enter the country legally, by cutting a program that has allowed U.S. officials to accept some migrants from Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba and Nicaragua under two-year work visas.
Cutting that program could also block Ukrainian refugees who are allowed into the country under the same type of program, according to the Associated Press.
House leadership is still reportedly wrangling with several potential GOP holdouts who — among other things — want to see a stronger stance taken against drug cartels.
Even if it does pass the House this week, the bill faces unlikely prospects in the Senate in its current form, after Biden said he would veto it.
Lee calls for impeachment of Homeland Security secretary
Stewart isn't alone in blaming Biden for a potential surge in immigration. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also took to Twitter to criticize the administration. Lee's ire was aimed at Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who he says has failed to use all the tools at his disposal to secure the border.
In particular, Lee said he would like to see the Department of Homeland Security detain migrants while their asylum claims are pending. DHS could then start deporting migrants crossing the border without documents when they ran out of bed space, Lee said.
"Current law allows for this; in fact, it requires this approach," Lee tweeted. "Why, then, does the Biden administration refuse to take these steps?"
He said he has asked Mayorkas that question "over and over again," without receiving a satisfactory answer.
"I told him many months ago that if he is unwilling or unable to enforce the law to restore control at the border, he should step down and let someone else do the job," Lee continued. "He still is not in control of the border, and has not taken steps he could and should take to fix the problem. It's time to impeach Secretary Mayorkas."
Cabinet members are subject to impeachment, but it requires a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate to remove them from office, making Mayorkas' removal unlikely in the Democratic-held chamber.
