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The Biden administration said on Saturday it was stepping up deportation flights to Haiti as authorities scramble to contain a rapidly worsening situation in Del Rio, Texas, where more than 14,000 migrants have flocked to the country. area and gathered under a nearby bridge. as they seek to enter the United States.
The situation, captured in Fox News footage that shows thousands of mainly Haitian migrants gathered under the international bridge, caught officials off guard as their numbers rose from 4,000 to 14,000 in days and triggered a new border crisis for the administration.
CBP CLOSES DEL RIO PORT OF ENTRY AND BORDER CHECKPOINTS IN RESPONSE TO INCREASE IN HATIAN MIGRANTS
Images taken by Fox News on Saturday showed hundreds of migrants massed on the Rio Grande and marching to the United States across a shallow part of the river from Mexico.
Officials described the situation as “out of hand” and the Border Patrol union leader told Fox News officers were overworked and frustrated by what they saw as a failure on the part of the federal government.
“They work six days a week, they work 10 or more hours a day, they are completely overwhelmed, they are tired, they are frustrated that the federal government has not done its job, they are frustrated that it seems like the federal government actually invites these people to cross our borders illegally, ”said Brandon Judd, head of the National Border Patrol Council.
On Friday evening, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced it had closed the port of entry, meaning those on legal travel and trade will have to go to Eagle Pass 57 miles away. Meanwhile, sources told Fox that border checkpoints, which apprehend illegal immigrants and illicit goods, have also been closed.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Saturday that it was implementing a “comprehensive strategy” to deal with the surge, which includes increasing the number of officers and officers in the region by 400 and the movement of migrants to other treatment stations. About 2,000 were transferred to other stations on Friday, the statement said.
“Third, DHS will provide additional transportation to accelerate the pace and increase the capacity of return flights to Haiti and other hemispheric destinations within the next 72 hours,” the statement said.
IMAGES OF A RISE IN HATIAN MIGRANTS IN DEL RIO SHOW CHAOS BELOW THE BRIDGE AS NUMBERS GROW TO 11,000
Flights were reportedly halted after an earthquake in Haiti in August, which reportedly encouraged migrants to make the trip, as well as the administration’s decision to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians already in the United States. United in May.
The department also said it was working with transit countries to accept migrants who have made it to the border, while taking further steps to reduce overcrowding and improve conditions.
“Finally, the White House has asked the appropriate US agencies to work with Haitian governments and other regional governments to provide assistance and support to returnees,” the statement said.
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DHS said the “majority” of migrants would continue to be deported under Title 42 health protections – although a recent court ruling ordered the administration to stop removing migrant families under the order later this month. It can still be applied to single adults however.
The department reiterated its claim that “our borders are not open and people should not make the dangerous journey.”
“Individuals and families are subject to border restrictions, including deportation. Irregular migration poses a significant threat to the health and well-being of border communities and to the lives of migrants themselves, and does not should not be attempted, ”he said.
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