EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Title 42 is expected to end on May 11, and in Ciudad Juarez migrants have set up camp near the U.S.-Mexico border wanting to be the first in line when the public health order is lifted.
The governor of the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, said during a press conference on Tuesday that religious and civic organizations are estimating that there are 35,000 migrants in Juarez waiting to cross into the U.S.
“More migrants keep coming daily,” said Chihuahua Gov. Maria Eugenia Campos.
However, the Juarez mayor says he doesn’t have any statistics on the number of migrants in the city, but he believes the number is less.
“Frankly, I don’t have any data that tells me that there are 35,000 migrants here. Sincerely, I think there’s much less. It’s important as well not to create panic,” said Juarez Mayor Cruz Perez Cuellar.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the border still won’t be “open” on May 11.
“When Title 42 ends, the border is not open. Once Title 42 ends, U.S. Border Patrol may enforce Title 8, only which does have a consequence if you cross the border illegally and the consequences continue to get more harsh if you keep continue crossing,” said Sean Coffey, a spokesperson for Border Patrol El Paso Sector.
Border Patrol says the daily average of migrant encounters in the El Paso Sector for April is 1,300. The El Paso Sector also includes the U.S.-Mexico border in New Mexico.
As we have reported, large groups of migrants have been crossing between ports of entry.
In El Paso shelters, there are many migrants from Venezuela, a country still subject to expulsion under Title 42.
“They say El Paso’s illegal but thankfully when a lot of families have come here, and they’ve given them a pass into the United States after such a long struggle,” said Natalie Rodriguez, a woman from Venezuela staying at an El Paso shelter with her children.
Border Patrol El Paso Sector says migrants from Venezuela in El Paso are on parole and every migrant is processed on a case-by-case basis.
“The increase in Venezuelans is just an uptick in Venezuelans approaching the U.S. border at the El Paso Sector. There is no change in the rules as far as the Venezuelan people. We’re still applying the exact same laws that we apply to all immigrants,” Coffey said.
