Officials in El Paso, Texas, have pleaded with their mayor to make a Disaster Declaration as the city is overwhelmed with 2,000 new migrants daily, diverting funding from vital services including its police and fire departments.
El Paso City Council members Cissy Lizarraga, Claudia Rodriguez and Isabel Salcido penned a letter Wednesday, demanding Mayor Oscar Leeser take action as immigrants, largely from Venezuela, flood over the border to Texas’ sixth largest city, population 700,000.
“We are writing to urge you to issue a Disaster Declaration for the City of El Paso regarding the current mass influx of migrants,” said the letter, obtained by KDBC-TV.
“With the unprecedented surge … we need to take this action now.”
The City of El Paso is spending $300,000 a day to shelter, feed and bus asylum-seeking immigrants to New York City — with the blessing of mayor Eric Adams — as well as Chicago.
In the month of September alone, the city could spend as much as $10 million, reports El Paso Matters. --->READ MORE HERE
The City of El Paso is considering spending an additional $4 million to provide migrants free bus rides to their destination of choice, as more and more Venezuelans without sponsors continue crossing over from Mexico.
The U.S. Border Patrol on Monday said it has encountered a daily average of 650 migrants from Venezuela so far in September, most of whom walked across the dry bed of the Rio Grande from Juarez, Mexico, and surrendered to agents to request asylum. That comes out to 16,250 through the first 25 days of September. The agency in July apprehended 611 Venezuelans in El Paso and 3,533 in August, U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows.
The Venezuelans make up a large portion of the 1,560 total daily apprehensions being reported in the sector, which includes Hudspeth and El Paso counties and all of New Mexico. But while other nationalities may be subject to immediate expulsion to Mexico under the Title 42 public health order. Also, the socialist government of Venezuela won’t allow repatriation flights, hence, many Venezuelan single adults and families that cross into the United States are being released with notices to appear in U.S. immigration court later.
The City of El Paso has stepped in with personnel and a building to process released migrants without sponsors. The Venezuelans passing through El Paso don’t have an established support network or relatives immediately willing to pay for their trips to the interior of the country, hence the free busing.
Earlier this month, the city council approved $2 million for a charter bus contract and will debate an additional $4 million contract with a charter bus services provider on Tuesday. City officials on Friday told KTSM they are spending an average of $250,000 a day – or up to $1.75 million per week – on busing, feeding, sheltering, and staff salaries to assist migrants. --->READ MORE HERE
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