WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) to introduce the ‘Securing the Homeland from International Entrants with Life-threatening Diseases Act,’ or SHIELD Act, to codify the previous administration’s public health order under Title 42 that required U.S. border officials to promptly remove illegal aliens to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This bill would prevent President Biden from abruptly and dangerously abolishing this highly successful policy. U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) introduced the companion bill in the House of Representatives.

“Ending Title 42 is just another step in Joe Biden’s open border agenda. Title 42 is the last line of defense CBP has to address this historic border crisis. Biden has made it clear that he will do anything to allow illegal aliens to flood our country and appease the radical left, including putting the health and safety of Americans in jeopardy,” said Senator Blackburn.

“Title 42 has been an integral and extremely successful measure to protect America’s borders and our people during the COVID-19 pandemic. If the Biden-Harris policy for open borders is intended to reverse the Trump Administration’s success in securing our border, encourage illegal immigration, and create an unprecedented crisis, it’s certainly working. As we come out of the COVID-19 global pandemic, we need to continue securing our borders, not throwing open flood gates to people who could carry the deadly virus or its dangerous new variants,” said Senator Cruz.

“Immigration facilities are overcrowded and are being overwhelmed. Our immigration officials need every tool they can get to help stop the spread of COVID-19 at the border. Extending the Trump administration’s Title 42 policy is just common sense. The Biden administration should not let political considerations get in the way of protecting the health of all Americans,” said Senator Barrasso.

“The Biden administration shouldn’t sacrifice the health of U.S. citizens to shield illegal immigrants. Our bill simply upholds successful immigration policies that protect Americans from the coronavirus and its variants,” said Senator Cotton.

“The Biden Administration’s dangerous open border policies have created a moral crisis on our Southern Border. President Biden has an obligation to address the issue he’s created, but instead he wants to end Title 42 and eliminate one of the few remaining tools we have from the Trump Administration to secure our border. As our country recovers from the pandemic, we should absolutely retain the ability to turn away those crossing our border illegally who pose a threat to the health of American citizens,” said Senator Hawley.

“Reports that the Biden Administration will soon end the common sense, successful public-health policy of promptly removing illegal border crossers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to Americans—a policy it has already watered down—is highly concerning. This is not only anti-border-security, but anti-science. It would invite nearly 1,000,000 border crossers expelled under this policy since March 2020 and many others to try again without threat of removal, despite that Mexico and Central America continue to see significant COVID spread. President Biden is elevating far-left politics over protecting Americans’ health and ending the border crisis, which is why I’m co-sponsoring the SHIELD Act to keep this policy in place,” said Senator Hagerty.

“Title 42 is the only policy keeping Biden’s border crisis from becoming an unmitigated, uncontrollable catastrophe. Prematurely ending those critical health protections makes it clear the Biden administration prioritizes open borders over the health and safety of American citizens. The first bill I introduced sought to keep Title 42 in place, and I’m proud to continue leading the House effort to maintain this crucial safeguard,” said Representative Herrell.