White House vows to 'quickly remove' border-crossers and says border 'is not open'

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced new efforts intended to handle the crush of migration at the southern border with the scheduled end of Title 42 approaching – and announced unequivocally that 'the border is not open.'

The tough talk came as the daily influx at the southern border continued to drive headlines two days before a court ordered covid policies that have allowed asylum seekers to be turned away are due to end.

'But I want to be very clear here. The fact is that the removal of title 42 does not mean the border is open. Anyone who suggests otherwise is simply doing the work of the smugglers and again, spreading misinformation ... which is very dangerous,' she said at the White House Friday.

She blamed a district court judge for the order that requires the end of a policy that dates to the Trump era and which cites covid to justify turning people back. Jean-Pierre spoke hours before Supreme Court Justice John Roberts issued a temporary order blocking after 19 Republican-led states sued. 

'When Title 42 goes away as have to do because of a court order which is on Wednesday ... we will go back to Title 8,  which allows a process to make sure that people can make their asylum claims heard. Those who do not have a legal basis to remain will be quickly removed. 

'The fact that the removal of Title 42 is happening in just a day or two doesn’t mean that the border’s open,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters, adding that the U.S. will move to Title 8, which is the regular order that allows asylum applications.

'It would be wrong to think that the border is open. It is not open, and I just want to be very, very clear about that,' she stressed.

Jean-Pierre vowed to enforce immigration laws and called on Congress to pass $3.5 billion in additional funding. 

She spoke before a digital backdrop at the White House showcasing steps the Homeland Security Department is undertaking, with 23,000 agents, 1,000 border processing coordinators, and 'scaling up ground and air transportation capabilities,' as well as 'autonomous surveillance towers' and port security. 

'This is what we're asking, that $3.5 billion of funding request that we're asking Congress and also this is what we have been doing to surge resources at the border' to deal with the end of Title 42 authority,' she said.

'DHS has deployed additional agents and processing capabilities to El Paso and 23,000 agents are working to secure the southern border. Let's not forget those 23,000 agents – that is a historic number. 

She mentioned the additional processing coordinators and surveillance towers, as well as the addition of '10 soft-sided CBP holding facilities.' 

'But again, we need Congress to provide us the additional resources we've requested to do this in a safe, orderly and humane way if they are serious,' she said.

Jean-Pierre wouldn't comment on questions about immigration policy changes, including about sending people to Mexico through expedited removal or potentially allowing certain people to seek asylum online. 

'I know there have been been a lot of rumors, a lot of speculations,' she said, without confirming anything. 'But we will have some more to share tomorrow.'

President Biden only briefly mentioned immigration Monday while speaking to reporters with Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso.

'Together, we’ve made historic strides on migration. And this afternoon, we’ll discuss how we can deepen our security and our economic partnership even further than it is right now,' said Biden, noting first lady Jill Biden had a good reception in Quito during her visit there.

Facing pressure to either extend Title 42 or take new steps to deal with the immigration crisis at the border, the Biden administration is floating new 'alternative' paths for legal immigration – while brandishing a new method of quick deportations at the southern border.

The move comes with just two days before the Trump-era covid restriction is set to end, bringing what some border officials have predicted might double the daily influx of migrants.

Already, up to 2,500 people a day are crossing the southern border, with most making asylum claims amid overwhelmed facilities.

To try to stem demand, the Biden administration is considering allowing certain asylum-seekers to apply through an online portal. The move comes after the mayor of El Paso declared a state of emergency due to the crisis.

There, they could seek permission to fly to the U.S., where they could remain on temporary humanitarian grounds amid their asylum claims, the Wall Street Journal reported. 

The new plan could expand a policy already in place for Venezuelan migrants fleeing political turmoil in their home country, with new categories of migrants eligible from Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua, and could take pressure off southern border crossings.

With people – many with families in tow – crossing the Rio Grande despite a cold snap, another plan would try to disincentivize people from making the journey by bringing back an 'updated' Trump-era policy known as the transit ban.

That would subject them to speedy deportation 'unless they can pass a tougher initial asylum screening,' sources told the paper. 

It would bar people seeking asylum who didn't first apply in Mexico or a third country they passed through 'regardless of whether those countries have fair and functioning asylum systems or whether the individual is safe from persecution in those countries,' according to the ACLU. The group called the policy 'inhumane.'

If Biden 'were to revive Trump and Stephen Miller's transit ban — cutting off life-saving access to asylum for all migrants other than people from Mexico — there would no longer be a shred of pretense that he is committed to protecting those fleeing persecution and violence,' said Jonathan Blazer of the ACLU.

It comes as lawmakers are pushing the Biden team to do something as the end of Title 42 under a judge's order approaches.

 'The president needs to find a way,' Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) told CBS 'Face the Nation.'

Biden met Monday at the White House with Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso to discuss the immigration flow. He is a center-right politician with a business background in a region where many left-wing governments have reclaimed power. Ecuador also is nestled between two top drug producing nations, Colombia and Peru.

It was not immediately clear if Biden could make the deadline for the new policies, or whether a new policy founded on executive action could hold up to likely court challenges.

Immigration advocates, including key administration allies, are certain to try to fight any effort to roll back asylum opportunities that are enshrined in law.  

El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser has declared a state of emergency, saying 2,500 people are arriving in his city each day, with numbers likely to spike further.