FEWER THAN EXPECTED MIGRANTS ARRIVED AT THE BORDER AFTER TITLE 42 EXPIRED, BUT OFFICIALSREMAIN ON HIGH ALERT

By Nouran Salahieh, Polo Sandoval, Rosa Flores, Andrea Cambron and Priscilla Alvarez, CNN

Despite warnings of a potential crush of migrants that sent thousands of federal personnel to the southern border and US cities scrambling to prepare, the days after the expiration of Title 42 saw a much narrower influx of migrants than expected.

Officials warned the expiration of the Covid-related border restriction policy, which allowed authorities to swiftly turn away migrants at the US-Mexico border, could aggravate the humanitarian crisis at the southern border. In the days leading up to its expiration, long lines formed at checkpoints and makeshift encampments proliferated in border communities.

But US authorities saw a 50% drop in the number of migrant encounters along the border over the previous two days compared to earlier in the week -- before the policy, known as Title 42, ended -- Homeland Security Secretary

Alejandro Mayorkas told CNN's Dana Bash on Sunday. US and Mexican officials say the Biden administration's warnings to asylum-seekers and displays of immigration enforcement have deterred more migrants from crossing the border illegally.

The situation at the border is