GOP Rep. Harris: Extend Title 42 to Cover Fentanyl Crisis ‘Caused by an Open Southern Border’

On Friday’s broadcast of Newsmax TV’s “Spicer & Co.,” Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) argued that if the Biden administration “was serious about taking care of the public health of the United States,” it would turn away migrants who might have coronavirus and it would “close the southern border” to combat the fentanyl crisis in the United States and stated that Title 42 should be broadened to cover the fentanyl crisis in addition to communicable diseases.

Harris said, “Dr. DesJarlais from Tennessee and myself, we’re co-sponsoring a bill that would actually include the fentanyl crisis we’re having in this country as coming under Title 42. The bottom line is if this administration was serious about taking care of the public health of the United States, it would turn back all those migrants who might have COVID. It would also close the southern border so that we can try to put an end to this fentanyl crisis we’re having.”

Harris explained the reason behind the legislation by stating, “Title 42 doesn’t cover a fentanyl crisis. It only covers a communicable disease. But clearly, the fentanyl crisis is caused by an open southern border, and we have to close that southern border.”

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