EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Thousands of migrants occupy El Paso as border surge continues
Thousands of migrants have crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico into the United States in recent days, lining the river and the city while overwhelming shelters.
EL PASO, Texas – Fox News captured video of over a thousand migrants lining the Rio Grande in El Paso, which has been overwhelmed after the recent surge.
The El Paso sector of the southern border has faced at least 139,000 migrant encounters since Oct. 1, a 255% increase over the same time last year, according to Customs and Border Protection sources. And over the weekend, there was a three-day average of 2,500 migrant encounters, according to Border Patrol.
WATCH A CARAVAN OF OVER A THOUSAND MIGRANTS ARRIVE AT THE BORDER IN EL PASO:
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The video shows migrants wrapped in blankets huddled along the Rio Grande. Others are camped out on El Paso's streets. Some shared their final destinations with Fox News, including Chicago, Las Vegas and Texas. They hailed from Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.
The recent influx is a record for El Paso, according to El Paso Deputy City Manager Mario D’Agostino,
Freezing winter temperatures prompted some groups of migrants to start fires to keep warm. (Fox News Digital / Jon Michael Raasch)
MANCHIN URGES WHITE HOUSE TO KEEP TITLE 42 BORDER POLICY IN PLACE
Shelters, churches and missions all over the city are at full capacity, forcing some migrants to sleep on the streets, in the airport or wherever they can protect themselves from the winter cold, an El Paso homeless shelter director told Fox News.
In response to the historic number of crossings, President Biden has requested $4 billion in border funding, according to a congressional aide. Half would go to CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement would receive the other $2 billion.
Migrants at the front of the line are processed for entry by Customs and Border Protection. (Fox News Digital / Jon Michael Raasch)
NEWSOM SAYS CALIFORNIA ABOUT TO ‘BREAK’ AMID FLOOD OF ILLEGAL MIGRANTS WHEN TITLE 42 EXPIRES
Meanwhile, Title 42, a health protocol that allows the government to quickly expel migrants, is set to end on Dec. 21. The Department of Homeland Security estimates between 9,000 and 15,000 migrant crossings could occur per day at that point.
El Paso has never seen this amount of migrant crossings, according to the El Paso Deputy City Manager. (Fox News Digital / Jon Michael Raasch)
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Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who visited El Paso this week, has said DHS has a plan to deal with the expected surge.
To see what the migrant situation is like at the El Paso border, click here.
Ramiro Vargas contributed to this report.
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