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According to Mexico’s immigration enforcement authority, there has been a significant rise in migrants attempting to cross the border in recent weeks. In response, Mexico has reached an agreement with U.S. immigration officials to deport specific migrants from select northern border cities.
The National Migration Institute of Mexico expressed its intention to alleviate the burden on the border cities of Ciudad Juárez, Piedras Negras, Tijuana, and the northern state of Tamaulipas. These areas have witnessed a significant influx of migrants crossing the border, leading to the arrest of thousands by U.S. Border Patrol agents.
The institute did not provide a timeline for the commencement or duration of the deportations. They mentioned that prior to initiating the process, they will engage in negotiations with Venezuela, Brazil, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Cuba to ensure that these countries are prepared to receive their citizens.
“It should be noted that CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) representatives offered the Mexican authorities all technical assistance to address the immigration issue at airports or other inspection points such as trains to reduce the numbers of people who use these mobility routes,” the institute said in a statement.
According to the statement, Mexican immigration officials will detain migrants who have been deported by the United States at an international bridge that links El Paso and Juárez.
After a meeting in Juárez on Friday, Mexican and American officials announced the agreement. The meeting included representatives from Ferromex, Mexico’s biggest rail operator, as hundreds of migrants have recently arrived at the border by boarding freight cars.
“We are continuing to work closely with our partners in Mexico to increase security and address irregular migration along our shared border,” said CBP Acting Commissioner Troy A. Miller, who attended the meeting. “The United States and Mexico remain committed to stemming the flow of irregular migration driven by unscrupulous smugglers, while maintaining access to lawful pathways.”
Eagle Pass and El Paso have been racing to secure shelters for newly arrived migrants or assist them in obtaining transportation out of the border cities once immigration officials have completed their processing and released them.
On Saturday, CBP said that it reopened a port of entry to rail and vehicular traffic in Eagle Pass; agents had closed it on Wednesday to help process the hundreds of migrants who were waiting to be processed under the bridge.
CBP said in a statement last week that it “swiftly vetted and processed approximately 2,500 individuals into custody and cleared the area” under one of the Eagle Pass’ international bridges on Thursday. Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas Jr. told CNN that on Friday, immigration agents apprehended between 800 and 1,000 migrants in Eagle Pass.
According to government data, federal agents in the Del Rio sector, including Eagle Pass, encountered an average of 957 migrants per day in August.
According to Mayor Oscar Leeser’s statement in a news conference on Saturday afternoon, over 2,000 migrants have been arriving in El Paso per day. This number is almost twice as much as the 1,073 daily encounters recorded in August by the El Paso sector, which encompasses New Mexico, as per government data.
As of Monday, immigration agents were releasing 1,200 migrants per day into the city, according to the city’s website. That’s up from between 300 to 400 migrants per day just six weeks ago, the mayor said.
Leeser stated that the city has reached a critical moment and is now making preparations for an uncertain future.
During the news conference, Deputy City Manager Mario D’Agostino announced that the Nations Tobin Recreation Center had been designated as an overflow shelter by the city on Saturday. This facility has the capacity to accommodate up to 400 individuals.
The El Paso Independent School District’s board recently approved the sale of a vacant middle school building to the city for $3.8 million. The purpose of this purchase is to utilize the building as an overflow shelter. The city council will finalize the decision by voting on it next Monday.
Three shelters in downtown El Paso have reached maximum capacity, prompting officials to prioritize sheltering women and children over single men. The total capacity of these shelters is 450 individuals.
“We’re now at numbers that none of us have ever seen,” said Blake Barrow, CEO of the Rescue Mission El Paso, during a news conference on Friday.
According to Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens, the recent influx of migrants in Eagle Pass was a deliberate strategy employed by organized crime groups. Their intention was to divert the attention of immigration agents to that particular region, thereby facilitating the smuggling of drugs into other parts of the border.
“I believe it’s a money-making opportunity for those smugglers,” he said during an interview with ABC News, on “Good Morning America.”
After the expiration of the emergency health order, Title 42, which was utilized by immigration officials to reject numerous migrants at the border, there was a substantial decrease in the number of migrant apprehensions. However, in recent weeks, there has been a remarkable surge in the number of apprehensions.
Unpublished federal government data cited by CBS News reveals that immigration officials recorded an average of 6,900 apprehensions per day along the southern border during the first 20 days of September. This figure represents a significant 60% surge in daily averages compared to July.
A significant number of migrants originate from Venezuela, seeking refuge from an oppressive government, menacing organized crime, and a severely damaged economy.
The Biden administration made an announcement last week granting temporary protected status to Venezuelans who entered the U.S. on or before July 31. This program, which was approved by Congress in 1990, enables undocumented individuals to obtain a work permit and delay deportation for a period of 18 months.
As The Texas Tribune’s signature event of the year, The Texas Tribune Festival brings Texans closer to politics, policy and the day’s news from Texas and beyond. On Sept. 23, we wrapped our 2023 Festival — three lively days packed with 125+ sessions and events. Browse on-demand recordings and catch up on the biggest headlines from Festival events at the Tribune’s Festival news page.
