Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/22pdf/22-592_5hd5.pdf
Page Number: 3.0

Cite as:  598 U. S. ____ (2023) 

3 

Statement of GORSUCH, J. 

defend  the  Title  42  orders  on  appeal  because  the  federal
government was unlikely to do so with sufficient vigor.  Ul-
timately, the court of appeals denied the States’ motion to 
intervene as untimely.6  So, late in 2022, the States turned 
to this Court seeking two things.  First, they asked for ex-
pedited review of the appellate court’s order denying their
motion to intervene.  Second, they asked for a stay of the 
D. C.  district  court’s  decree  vacating  the  Title  42  orders. 
The  Court  granted  both  requests.    In  doing  so,  the  Court 
effectively extended the Title 42 orders indefinitely.7 

Now,  almost  five  months  later,  the  Court  puts  a  final
twist  on  the  tale.    It  vacates  the  appellate  court’s  order
denying the States’ motion to intervene and remands with
instructions to dismiss the motion as moot.  Why the sud-
den about-face?  Recently, Congress passed and the Presi-
dent  signed  into  law  a  joint  resolution  declaring  that  the 
COVID–19  emergency  is  over.8    The  Secretary  of  Health
and Human Services, too, has issued his own directive an-
nouncing the end of the public-health emergency underly-
ing  the  Title  42  orders.9    Apparently,  these  developments 
are enough to persuade the Court that the Title 42 orders 
the government wished to withdraw a year ago are now as
good as gone and any dispute over them is moot. 

I recite all this tortured procedural history not because I 
think  the  Court’s  decision  today  is  wrong.    Nearly  five
months ago, I argued that the Court erred when it granted 
expedited review and issued a stay.  As I explained at the
time, I do not discount the States’ concerns about what is 
happening  at  the  border,  but  “the  current  border  crisis  is 

—————— 

6 Arizona v. Mayorkas, 598 U. S. ___, ___ (2022) (GORSUCH, J., dissent-

ing) (slip op., at 2). 

7 See id., at ___ (slip op., at 3). 
8 Pub. L. 118–3, 137 Stat. 6. 
9 See  U. S.  Dept.  of  Health  and  Human  Services,  COVID–19  Public 
Health  Emergency  (PHE),  https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/covid-19-
public-health-emergency/index.html.