A federal judge is throwing a wrench into President Joe Biden’s immigration policy as the southern border veers on the brink of chaos.
Judge T. Kent Wetherell II issued a two-week restraining order on the Biden administration on Thursday night, according to Fox News.
The order prevents the federal government from enacting a new policy in which illegal migrants would be released from custody without a court date or means for authorities to track them.
BREAKING: A federal court judge in Florida has BLOCKED the Biden administration from releasing migrants from Border Patrol custody without court notices under a memo signed this week.
The block is in effect tonight and will last for 2 weeks.
Expect the Biden admin to appeal. pic.twitter.com/tW1Pzn3nEs
— Hamed Aleaziz (@Haleaziz) May 11, 2023
Migrants would’ve been asked to request a court appearance by mail under the policy, or to make an appointment at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, according to Fox.
The development occurred just hours before Title 42, a Trump administration policy allowing the quick removal of illegal immigrants, was allowed to expire at 11:59 on Thursday night.
In a statement, per the Los Angeles Times, Customs and Border Protection claimed the judge’s ruling would make its immigration detention facilities too crowded.
US Customs and Border Protection statement:
“This is a harmful ruling that will result in unsafe overcrowding at CBP facilities and undercut our ability to efficiently process and remove migrants, and risks creating dangerous conditions for Border Patrol agents and migrants.”
— Hamed Aleaziz (@Haleaziz) May 11, 2023
Defense attorneys for the federal government have argued they’d have to detain as many as 45,000 illegals by the end of the month if not permitted to spring them loose under the program, according to the Times.
Border Patrol sectors would’ve been authorized to “parole” migrants if they exceeded 125% of their detention capacity, according to Fox.
The end of Title 42 has lured a tidal wave of migrants to the U.S-Mexico border, seeking to capitalize on what they believe will be weak enforcement of U.S immigration law.
NEW: Thousands of Haitians have gathered in the Mexican border city of Reynosa, across from McAllen, TX, ahead of Title 42’s expiration at midnight. Here, they are being informed about the changes that will take place after Title 42 is no longer in effect. pic.twitter.com/0gZwOBZU9X
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) May 11, 2023
Judge Wetherell accused the Biden administration of creating the crowded conditions in immigration detention facilities by luring illegals to the border, according to the Times.
“this problem is largely one of Defendants’ own making through the adoption an implementation of policies that have encouraged the so-called “irregular migration” that has become fairly regular over the past 2 years,” the judge countered.
— Hamed Aleaziz (@Haleaziz) May 11, 2023
The Biden administration has shown some willingness to resort to tougher measures amid the tidal wave at the border, although it has failed to deter record-setting levels of illegal migration.
The federal government enacted a new regulation barring claims for asylum from those who decline to make them in a safe third country such as Mexico this week.
Former President Donald Trump implemented a similar policy during his tenure.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.