A controversial deportation regulation, which, with reference to the corona pandemic, allows migrants to be rejected quickly at the border with Mexico, remains in force for the time being. The US Supreme Court ruled in Washington yesterday.

The so-called Title 42 rule was introduced under former US President Donald Trump and was due to expire last week. Several states - including Arizona and Texas - want to uphold the deportation regulations and have therefore appealed to the Supreme Court. He now wants to deal with the topic in February.

In the past few days and weeks, a particularly large number of migrants from Latin and Central America had come to the southern border of the USA because they expected the regulation to be abolished - and thus easier entry conditions. The mayor of the border city of El Paso declared a state of emergency in view of the large number of people.

This gives him the opportunity, for example, to convert certain facilities into emergency shelters by ordinance. It also enables the city to ask the state for additional staff to care for and house migrants. The US government stressed that it was prepared for the abolition of the regulation.