COVID-19 in migrating people at the US-Mexico border during Title 42 immigration restrictions

Introduction

In March 2020, the US government implemented the policy of 'Title 42,' which restricted entry of asylum seekers on the stated basis of COVID-19 prevention. In the subsequent years, informal settlements for displaced persons developed and increased in size near the US-Mexico border. We sought to determine the risk of COVID-19 in this setting and compare this to nearby communities at the border.