Border authorities in West Texas are grappling with one of the largest influxes of migrants in recent memory after more than 1,000 people crossed the border over the weekend.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection told Fox News on Monday that its El Paso sector reported nearly 3,000 encounters in the previous 24-hour period.
The city has about 5,100 migrants in custody, underscoring challenges at the border even as lawmakers warn of additional pressure as the U.S. prepares to lift Title 42, a pandemic policy that allowed the U.S. to turn many migrants away.
Video taken Sunday night showed a steady stream of migrants walking into Texas. Many are from Nicaragua and seeking a better life deeper in the U.S.
Customs and Border Protection’s El Paso Sector on the Texas border with Mexico has seen an increase in encounters,” CBP told Fox News on Monday. “In order to process individuals as safely and expeditiously as possible, Border Patrol agents from Big Bend and CBP Officers from El Paso Field Office are assisting with processing.”
The U.S. will have difficulty expelling the Nicaraguans back to their home country, given strained relations with the Central American country. Title 42 will not apply to them, and Mexico has not agreed to take them.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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