Newsom visits California-Mexico border amid concerns of surge with repeal of Title 42

"The fact is, what we’ve got right now is not working and is about to break in a post-42 world unless we take some responsibility and ownership," he told ABC News on Monday.

A Trump-era policy from the early days of the pandemic that allowed authorities to quickly and efficiently expel migrants on public health grounds, Title 42 is set to expire on December 21.

Expressing that he feels the burden is placed disproportionately on California, the Democratic Governor claims that the U.S. government is sending increasing numbers of migrants because his state is "taking care of folks."

"We're already at capacity at nine of our sites," he states. "We can't continue to fund all of these sites because of the budgetary pressures now being placed on this state and the offsetting issues that I have to address... The reality is, unless we're doing what we're doing, people will end up on the streets."

Gov. Newsom has long been a champion of policies designed to protect and accommodate illegal immigrants, such as allowing them to apply for a state ID and expanding universal healthcare benefits.

"We’re a state of refuge – a majority-minority state, where 27% of us are immigrants," he said in September.

California is home to nearly 11 million immigrants, of which almost a quarter are in the U.S. illegally, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

The Biden administration has faced immense criticism for its handling of the border crisis, which has seen a record number of, occasionally violent, migrant encounters along the southern border.

The government is now requesting billions in additional funding for the border in anticipation of the expiration of Title 42, despite assurances that will not change the situation.

"As was the case before Title 42 and will remain the case after it, individuals who attempt to cross the border unlawfully, and don't have a legal basis to remain will be subject to removal," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday.