A 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti killing 150,000 people, and displacing 1.5 million more in 2010. In the aftermath, many Haitians fled to Brazil and Chile seeking a place to call home. In mid-September 2021, an influx of Haitian migrants sought refuge in Del Rio, Texas after years of traveling through South and Central America.
Co-hosts of the “Line in the Land” podcast Elizabeth Trovall and Joey Palacios discuss the journey of those migrants and the forces that led them to take such a long, perilous journey.
Later on “The Source,” as migrant number increase at the border and Title 42 hangs in the balance as to whether or not it will remain in place, several states filed a lawsuit to uphold the public health policy.
Title 42 was activated in early 2020 by the Trump administration in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in immigrant detention centers. The public health policy was continued by the Biden administration despite the drop in COVID-19 cases.
On April 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the Biden Administration’s plan to roll back Title 42. A judge has sinceblocked it and will decide if it will remain in place.
Ending Title 42 has been cheered in some corners and criticized in others. The decision to end or continue Title 42 is being challenged in court and in Congress.
Will Title 42 remain in place? How will the decision impact immigration? What are the arguments for and against keeping Title 42 in place?
How effective was Title 42 at mitigating the spread of COVID-19? What happens if Title 42 ends?
Guests:
- Elizabeth Trovall, immigration reporter for the Houston Chronicleand co-host of "Line in the Land" podcast
- Joey Palacios, local government reporterfor Texas Public Radio and co-host
- Karla Marisol Vargas, senior attorney at Texas Civil Rights Project
- Uriel J. García, immigration reporter for the Texas Tribune
"The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. During the live show, call 833-877-8255, email thesource@tpr.org or tweet @TPRSource.
*This interview was recorded on Tuesday, May 17.