Thousands of migrants have formed long lines along entry points at the U.S.-Mexico border, awaiting the end of a Trump-era policy allowing for the expulsion of over one million migrants.
Title 42, the Trump-era policy that expelled certain illegal migrants on the basis of mitigating the spread of COVID-19, is set to end after being extended to control the influx of migrants flooding across the border. Officials in El Paso, Texas, have grown overwhelmed as migrants awaiting entry form long lines along the border.
Daily Caller field reporter Jorge Ventura encountered approximately 2,000 migrants waiting in freezing weather to be let in the border patrol gates. The situation at the border is expected to augment with Title 42 set to expire.
Around 2,000 migrants are waiting to be let in the border patrol gates here in El Paso, many are preparing for the cold night ahead expected to get to low 30’s @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/6dLX6uUQoY
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) December 15, 2022
Migrants wore blankets and hoodies in temperatures that were expected to reach the low 30s. Some migrants who have been released through the ports of entry have slept on the streets of El Paso.
I’ve never seen anything quite like this. Massive line of migrants waiting to be let in through the border wall gates, and more continue to arrive, overwhelming officals in El Paso. Situation is expected to get worse as Title 42 is set to expire @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/Ry86PejMpT
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) December 15, 2022
“Here, we actually have a massive group of migrants waiting to get into the country illegally,” Ventura reported. “We have migrants from all over, from Ecuador, from Honduras, Nicaragua … and right now the majority are from Nicaragua. And we have lots of Venezuelans who say they are still not allowed to be in.” (RELATED: MSNBC Anchor Criticizes Biden Admin’s Lack Of ‘Urgency’ And ‘Outrage’ Toward Border Crisis)
Around 2,000 migrants are lined up against the border wall in El Paso waiting to be let in amid Title 42 expiring soon, majority migrants are from Nicaragua and tell me they have been extorted by different cartels on their way to Ciudad Juárez @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/6UhnghdNuh
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) December 14, 2022
Border officials in El Paso are struggling to handle the continued surge in migration, which has reportedly reached an average of 2,400 illegal crossings per day. The line of migrants has covered several miles in front of the border wall and alongside the Rio Grade river.
Massive line of migrants waiting to be let in through the border wall gates by BP agents. Officials in El Paso are overwhelmed by massive influx on migrants and are averaging 2,400+ illegal crossings per day @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/T6Z3a1BZi5
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) December 14, 2022
Migrant apprehension numbers have reached record-high levels in fiscal year (FY) 2022 and the beginning of FY 2023. Border agents encountered over 2.3 million migrants at the border between October 2021 and September 2022. Agents encountered a record of 230,678 migrants in October 2022, the start of FY 2023.
The ongoing border crisis has overwhelmed officials in Texan border towns throughout recent fiscal years. Maverick County Deputy Constable Frank Bowles told the Daily Caller in June that border agents recovered one to two dead migrants per day due to drownings, dehydration and other causes.
In August, Bowles told the Caller that agents discovered a 3-year-old child who drowned in the river beneath the port of entry. Footage, posted by Ventura, captured two migrants who almost drowned from the Rio Grande’s strong currents.
Officials in Eagle Pass, Texas, have struggled to find spare space to bury unidentified, deceased migrants and have requested more refrigerators to store the bodies.
President Joe Biden told reporters Dec. 6 he did not plan to visit the border during an upcoming trip to Arizona “because there are more important things going on.”