As many as 12,000 migrants are waiting in Mexico to cross into El Paso, the mayor says

until 12 thousand immigrants currently in Juarez CityAnd Chihuahuaand is expected to cross at a stepTexas, after Address 42a direct expulsion Expedited immigrants at the border stop filing within a week, the mayor of the Texas city warned Thursday. Oscar Lesser.

At a press conference, Chief municipality He rejected it in the city Mexican He is 35 thousand immigrants Waiting for transit

This figure was given by the Governor of the State of Mexico ChihuahuaAnd Maria Eugenia Camposat the end of April based on estimates by civil and religious organizations in the city.

Lesser He explained that the figure is between 10,000 and 12 thousand immigrants It was appreciated after officials from a step Take a walk through the streets Juarez City. He said the number did not include about 3,500 foreigners who were supposed to be going in caravan to the Mexican city.

“The number we’re preparing to deal with is probably 12,000 to 15,000 people, if you add the caravan,” said the Democratic mayor.

He confirmed that the city is taking measures to deal with the increase in the number of immigrants expected to arrive in the city after May 11, when applied Address 42.

“The city is preparing to help not only asylum seekers but also the El Paso community.”

Among the measures, it is being evaluated to send migrants back on buses to different cities. The mayor and his officials do not have an exact date for when the measure will begin to be implemented again.

He said, “We’re going to help them (get) where they want to go because they’re not coming to El Paso, they’re coming to the United States and we have to help them connect with their families and friends.”

He added that the city would not send anyone to White House Or to the vice president’s house Kamala Harris conservative TexasRepublican Greg Abbott. He said, “We will treat everyone with respect and dignity.”

For his part, said the administrative deputy director a stepAnd Mario D’Agostinosaid the city received federal funds that have been extended through the end of fiscal year 2023 (which ends Sept. 30).

“We are trying to manage this money as efficiently as possible so that it can last as long as possible because we are expecting big numbers,” said D’Agostino. We know we don’t have the capacity to house that many people in El Paso. So our strategy is to support them to get to the next destination.

Lesser He added that the buses were chosen because the El Paso airport is medium in size and has a limited number of flights per day.

He noted that the Customs and Border Protection (CBP)CBP) was released in a step Up to 1,500 foreigners in a single day in the past, forcing local authorities to try to evacuate as many immigrants as quickly as possible.

Officials explained that some schools will be adapted to receive and process migrants, but they will not function as shelters.

The mayor admitted that Police Department to a step Control measures have been implemented in the city, where there are currently a large number of migrants sleeping on the streets. However, he emphasized that local agents do not assume the role of immigration authorities.

Among the immigrants who arrived a step These days there are many who have already been returned to Mexican territory under Title 42. This is the case of the Venezuelan Luis Gutierrezwho returned to United State Irregularly through a 12″ by 12″ “hole” in the border checkpoint he passed after waiting two nights for the Border Patrol to leave.

“It was very difficult because the rock doesn’t remove the hole,” Gutierrez told EFE on a Texas City street where he sleeps with his brother and some friends.

“Mexico for us was a difficult journey. We spent two and a half months hiking and asking people for help.”

at the press conference, Lesser He thanked the Minister of Homeland Security for the cooperation he extended to the city, Alexander Mallorcaswhich takes place this Thursday Rio Grande Valley (Texas) on a tour to get acquainted directly with the preparations for the expected increase in the number of immigrants arriving.

The mayor asserted that the US immigration system is broken and that “there is no light at the end of the tunnel” until Congress takes action.

He considered that the problem of immigration did not arise from the current federal administration or the previous one, but “this has been a problem since time immemorial.

With information from EFE