Authorities from El Paso, Texas, ordered the creation of new shelters in a frantic attempt to address the rapid influx of migrants crossing the border from Mexico.
The situation comes as officials reported more than 2,000 migrants entering the United States daily seeking asylum. The high number of migrants crossing into El Paso mirrors the historic numbers of asylum seekers coming into the region last month, based on new government data.
El Paso To Create New Migrant Shelter
In a statement, El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser said during a press conference on Saturday that the city only has so many resources. He noted that the region has hit a breaking point and is forced to look at different resources.
Leeser added that the city, which does not have the facilities to hold the rapidly growing number of migrants, is opening up an additional shelter that is estimated to be able to hold roughly 400 individuals, as per Axios.
While the city mayor said that the situation was something that they had prepared for, the sheer number of migrants grew faster than they anticipated. Officials from the city said that roughly 6,500 migrants were seeking shelter and that more are expected to come in the coming days as US Customs and Border Protection processes more people.
Additionally, authorities said five buses were chartered on Saturday to bring migrants to other cities, including Chicago, Denver, and New York. They added that the people boarding the buses did so voluntarily and were traveling to destinations they chose.
Furthermore, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to "deploy more buses to Eagle Pass and El Paso" amid the rapid influx of migrants. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Republican said that Texas border towns should not have to shoulder the burden of United States President Joe Biden's open border policies.
Surge of Asylum Seekers
Last week, The Biden administration said it plans to deploy an additional 800 troops to the border to help with the latest migration surge. The rapid influx of asylum seekers grew higher in the last two months following the end of Title 42, according to The Hill.
The planned personnel will focus on "logistics and other functions at the border" that would allow more Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents and officers to return to their core mission and responsibilities. Additionally, the administration said it would extend the Temporary Protective Status to nearly half a million Venezuelans living in the country.
Leeser said that while the Democratic president has been a good partner regarding the situation, the overall U.S. immigration system is broken. He noted that many migrants from Venezuela lacked transportation to their desired destinations.
The El Paso mayor noted that roughly two-thirds of the asylum seekers crossing into the city are single men, adding that 32% were families while 2% were unaccompanied children. Leeser noted that the same thing was happening repeatedly, said Reuters.
Related Article : Biden Admin To Expand TPS To Nearly Half-a-Million Venezuelan Migrants
