The influx of migrants crossing the US border from Mexico has strained the city of El Paso, Texas, with more than 2,000 people seeking asylum every day, exceeding shelter capacity and taxing resources, the mayor stated on Saturday.
“The city of El Paso only has so many resources, and we have reached a breaking point right now”, stated Mayor Oscar Leeser.
The influx of mostly Venezuelan asylum applicants is part of a wider influx of immigrants who took perilous bus and cargo train routes to Mexican border communities near San Diego, California, and the Texas cities of El Paso and Eagle Pass.
Migrant numbers have plunged in recent months, and the current significant spike has sparked a new wave of political attacks on US President Joe Biden as the country prepares for the 2024 election.
Lesser stated at a press conference that El Paso intends to construct a new shelter and that on Saturday, five buses were chartered to transport migrants to New York, Chicago, and Denver.
Republican governors in Texas and Florida have been chastised for sending migrants to liberal areas like New York and Sacramento. However, Democrat Leeser stated that all of the migrants on the El Paso buses were traveling willingly to destinations of their choice.
Leeser described Biden as a good companion. However, he stated that the broader immigration system in the United States was dysfunctional.
Many Venezuelan refugees, he added, lacked transportation to their destinations, while El Paso’s present shelter only shelters 400 people and must also be ready to serve the homeless.
Approximately 350-400 people were entering El Paso every day six weeks ago, but the previous several days have brought 2,000 or more.
“Over the past 10 days, the city has worked with the U.S. Border Patrol to provide shelter for 6,500 people”, Leeser explained.
He estimates that roughly two-thirds of individuals crossing into El Paso are single guys. About 32% are families, with only 2% being unaccompanied minors.
“I think it’s really important to note that we have a broken immigration system”, Leeser continued. “It’s the same thing over and over again”, Leeser added.
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