A federal judge in Louisiana this week temporarily blocked the Biden administration from ending a pandemic-era public health policy that turns back migrants at the US border with the aim of stopping the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The policy, known as Title 42, allows authorities to expel migrants at US land borders over community health concerns. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention administers the order that has been in place since March 2020.

The CDC had announced earlier in the month that the Biden administration would rescind Title 42 by May 23. The White House has not commented on the judge's order nor if the timeline for ending the policy will stay in place.