(DCWatchdog.com) – BREAKING NOW: An unparalleled wave of 4,000 illegal aliens crossed the U.S.-Mexico border into Eagle Pass, Texas, today, compelling the city to issue an emergency declaration.
Border officials indicate these migrants are in addition to about 7,500 who have already presented themselves for asylum in the past week.
This influx marks the most significant movement since 15,000 Haitian migrants set up a temporary home under a bridge in nearby Del Rio, Texas, in September 2021—a situation that led to a substantial humanitarian issue.
Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas revealed that many of these migrants, predominantly from Venezuela, have overcrowded the Mission Border Hope shelter in the city, a facility designed for processing asylum seekers. “One of the situations is that a lot of these [migrants], they’re single males and they don’t want to listen to instructions and they’re leaving the facility,” Salinas remarked. “Not all of these people come in peace.”
Salinas also emphasized that the sudden arrival of migrants — which constitutes nearly half of the city’s population of 29,000 — is straining local resources, notably the police and fire departments.
Usually, the asylum processing time is about two days. However, border authorities warn that, given the large numbers, the process will likely take much longer. During this period, all migrants must remain in custody, adding another layer of complexity for law enforcement agencies.
Among those currently held in Eagle Pass is Roberto Emilio Vasquez-Santamaria, a 64-year-old immigrant from Peru who is accused of homicide. Vasquez-Santamaria had crossed into Texas in May but was released as no criminal records were found. After his release, he was implicated in a murder, although local authorities have not disclosed the details.
U.S. Rep. Eddie Morales, a Democrat representing Eagle Pass, commented on the situation: “It’s obviously a security issue,” and noted, “I am aware that there are 2,000-4,000 under the [International] Bridge right now and more are coming. We’ve also been in contact with Union Pacific [railroad, which runs across the bridge] to make sure they are adequately providing security so that they are not crossing on the railroad tracks. All this to say is that there is a concerted effort to try to get a handle on this situation.”
Mayor Salinas announced that the emergency declaration would enable Eagle Pass to seek federal and state assistance to manage the crisis. “This is just a measure that we have to take to make sure we maintain order here in the city of Eagle Pass,” he said. “We’re going to use that money to reimburse fire, reimburse police and any other expenses that the city has to make. We do have reports that there are other caravans coming to Eagle Pass, so we want to be prepared for any scenario,” he concluded.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS ALERT FROM THE DC WATCHDOG.
