The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced it is renewing the ban on evictions that expired on July 31, setting the stage for a constitutional showdown after the US Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that the public health agency didn’t have the authority to issue such a ban.

After days of protests outside the US Capitol and appeals by federal lawmakers, US President Joe Biden has bowed to popular pressure and directed the CDC to extend the federal eviction moratorium until October 3. The move will protect perhaps 90% of American renters as more than 11 million people remain behind on their rent payments, according to CNBC.

"Following the recent surge in cases brought forth by the highly transmissible Delta variant, the CDC Director now issues a new order temporarily halting evictions for persons in counties experiencing substantial or high rates of transmission," the updated order issued Tuesday states. "This order will expire on October 3, 2021, but is subject to further extension, modification, or rescission based on public health circumstances."

However, the new measure is more restrictive than before, now saying it is "intended to target specific areas of the country where cases are rapidly increasing, which likely would be exacerbated by mass evictions."