U.S. bishops are supporting the end of a migration policy that has been in place since the pandemic started.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State are preparing to respond to the end of the Title 42 public health order on May 11 and the expected rise in migration, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said.

“We strongly support increased refugee resettlement from Latin America and the Caribbean as a reliable pathway to lasting safety for those who have been forcibly displaced,” Mark Seitz, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, said in a USCCB release. “Therefore, we commend the Biden Administration for recognizing this need and look forward to its close coordination with civil society and Congress to ensure the successful integration of these newcomers. Importantly, the resources utilized for this purpose should not undermine existing access to resettlement for other refugees or impede the proper functioning of immigration processes generally.” 

Title 42 has been in place for more than three years. It originally provided border agents with the ability to stop migrants from crossing the border because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the public health emergency ends, Title 42 will also expire. 

The Biden Administration will be creating more ways for people to migrate legally to the U.S. and will set up processing centers in South and Central America to brace for a rise in migration. The hope is that these measures will discourage people from trying to cross the border illegally, Roll Call reported. 

The U.S. will revert to older immigration rules spelled out in Title 8. If someone enters the country illegally under Title 8, they could be banned from coming back for at least five years, and if they keep trying to come back illegally, they could face criminal charges, the Department of Homeland Security explained. 

“No combination of legal pathways or harsh enforcement measures will suffice to meet the complex challenge of forced migration facing our country and hemisphere," Seitz said. "Only through a long-term commitment to addressing root causes and promoting integral human development throughout the Americas, combined with an overhaul of our immigration system, will we be able to achieve the conditions necessary to sustainably reduce irregular migration.”

If applicants don't qualify for refugee status, they might be eligible for other humanitarian programs. People can make appointments at the new processing centers virtually, and Canada and Spain will also accept people referred from the centers. The government will also expand family reunification programs to four countries, and keep the current program that lets people from Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, and Nicaragua live and work in the U.S. temporarily, the Roll Call report added.