In El Paso, around 2,200 refugees are camped out or living on the streets.
On Tuesday, the Biden administration will launch a “targeted enforcement operation” in El Paso, Texas, one of the most common crossing points for illegal immigrants. This is because Title 42 is set to expire later this week, causing a spike in the number of people trying to reach the border.
Approximately 2,200 migrants are currently camped out or living on the streets just a few blocks from major ports of entry connecting El Paso to the Mexican city of Juárez, and this is where the operation will be run by CBP and ICE agents and officers.
More than 26,000 individuals have been apprehended and more than 7,000 have escaped in just 72 hours, according to official estimates.
Pictures of long queues of migrants entering Texas have already been on Fox. People waiting in these lines tend to be solitary adults.
It’s just in time for Thursday’s scheduled conclusion of the Title 42 public health directive. Since 2020, when the COVID-19 epidemic hit, hundreds of thousands of migrants have had to be deported suddenly. In March, Title 42 removals accounted for nearly half of all encounters with migrants.
A large influx of migrants to the border is anticipated if the restriction is lifted, as they believe their chances of entering the United States have improved. The Biden administration has denied this, stating that doing so will make it more difficult to enter the nation illegally. It would prefer that refugees take use of the expanded legal channels.
The CBP stated in a press statement that agents will “process people for screening and placement in Title 42 expulsion or Title 8 removal proceedings, as appropriate.” If an individual poses a risk to national security or public safety, ICE will take them into custody.
CBP acting Commissioner Troy Miller stated in a statement, “As we’ve said many times before, people who don’t have a legal reason to stay will be sent home.” Smugglers will tell you anything to have you pay them, but the truth is that people need to follow legitimate channels to reach safety.
It was underlined, however, that neither organization would conduct any activities “in or near a location that would make it hard for people to get to essential services or do essential things as much as possible.”
CBP will temporarily reduce operations at the Paso Del Norte terminal. The government is encouraging the use of other ports.
The Biden administration has been working to prevent refugees from traveling north while simultaneously preparing for what might be an unprecedented influx of migrants in the coming days.
It said last week that it will deploy 1,500 troops to the border and open reception facilities in Latin American countries. It also agreed to take back illegal immigrants from Mexico who are not Mexican.
The Department of Homeland Security has also announced that it will provide an additional $332 million to non-governmental organizations and local governments to aid detained migrants who are later released.
Also upsetting immigration groups is the administration’s pursuit of a regulation that would potentially deny asylum to refugees who cross the border illegally without first seeking asylum in a nation they have previously transited.
Alejandro Mayorkas, the DHS secretary, has repeatedly said that the border is closed. He has also made it clear that anyone caught entering the country illegally after Thursday would be subject to legal action, which may include deportation or criminal charges.
The border is not open, Mayorkas said last week in Texas. To paraphrase, “It hasn’t been open yet, and it won’t be open after May 11 either.” Smugglers that prey on vulnerable migrants often spread misinformation in order to make a profit. Spreading false information and misinformation, they want to lure vulnerable individuals to the southern border before turning them back.