U.S. bishops are praising the Biden Administration’s decision to end a migration policy that took effect when the pandemic started.

As the Title 42 public health order is set to end May 11, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State are preparing for the expected rise in migration, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said.

“We strongly support increased refugee resettlement from Latin America and the Caribbean as a reliable pathway to lasting safety for those who have been forcibly displaced,” Mark Seitz, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, said in a release put out by the group.

“Therefore, we commend the Biden Administration for recognizing this need and look forward to its close coordination with civil society and Congress to ensure the successful integration of these newcomers,” he continued. “Importantly, the resources utilized for this purpose should not undermine existing access to resettlement for other refugees or impede the proper functioning of immigration processes generally.”

Title 42 authorized border agents to stop migrants from entering the country because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the public health crisis is over, the older immigration rules that are in Title 8 will apply. Under Title 8, if someone enters the country illegally, they could be banned from coming back for a time, sometimes more than five years. Continued illegal incursions could result in criminal charges, the Department of Homeland Security said.

The Biden Administration is also looking to create more legal immigration avenues. It will set up processing centers in in South and Central America to help process a predicted rising number of migrants. These measures are seen as a way to discourage people from trying to cross the border illegally, Roll Call reported.

If applicants don't qualify for refugee status, other humanitarian programs might help them. People can make appointments at the new processing centers virtually, and Canada and Spain will accept people referred from the centers. The government also will expand family reunification programs to four countries. The current program that lets people from Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela and Nicaragua live and work in the U.S. temporarily will continue, Roll Call said.

“No combination of legal pathways or harsh enforcement measures will suffice to meet the complex challenge of forced migration facing our country and hemisphere," Seitz said. "Only through a long-term commitment to addressing root causes and promoting integral human development throughout the Americas, combined with an overhaul of our immigration system, will we be able to achieve the conditions necessary to sustainably reduce irregular migration.”