1,500 migrants cross Rio Grande ahead of Title 42 expiry [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Around 1,500 migrants crossed the Rio Grande overnight on Sunday to seek entry into El Paso, Texas.
• Among them were Nicaraguans who were reportedly kidnapped in the state of Durango and later freed by Mexican authorities.
• The CBP reported that the 3-day average of migrant encounters has reached over 2,000, and may even worsen after Title 42 expires.

A Reuters witness reported around 1,500 migrants waded across the Rio Grande on Sunday to cross from Ciudad Juarez in Mexico to El Paso, Texas, ahead of the expiry of Title 42. Photos and videos showed migrants clutching bags and carrying their children as they crossed the river.

On Sunday, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported around 2,400 migrants trying to enter El Paso. That area covers about 268 miles (431 km), including part of the border in Texas and the entire border with New Mexico.

According to the CBP, there has been a surge in migrant encounters in El Paso in September and October compared to the previous year’s figures. Spokesperson Landon Hutchens said that they have already brought in additional officials “to process individuals as safely and expeditiously as possible.”

The exact reason for the increase is not clear, but officials are expecting it to get worse when Title 42 expires after Dec. 21. The order, which was launched to prevent the spread of COVID-19, allows authorities to quickly send migrants back to Mexico or other countries before they get the chance to seek asylum.

In an effort to keep Title 42 in place, several states have been working with Republican attorneys general to seek an overturn of a November ruling that threw out the order.

CBP has been trying to ease pressure on El Paso by transferring migrants to other areas along the border.

The line of migrants waiting to register at the border stretched hundreds of meters on the northern bank of the river.

Some of the migrants who crossed on Sunday included Nicaraguans who said they were kidnapped last week in the state of Durango and recently freed by Mexican authorities. Some showed footage of themselves being freed and images of the place they were held. They were then transferred to Ciudad Juarez.

One of the Nicaraguans, Jose Manuel, said he could no longer stay in Mexico. He told Reuters, “Because of everything that happened, we are left with fear. I don’t think we’ll be able to live in peace.”

Many of the Nicaraguans called for help from President Joe Biden, with one man saying, “He is the only president who will help us, we know he will open the door for us.”

Source: Reuters