Border Patrol detains 2,500 refugees in last 48 hours crowded into at least two gates The border fence between Mexico and the United States at the height of the town of El Paso (Texas) hours before Title 42 is lifted, which allows people to be hotly removed for public health reasons.
After being agglutinated for several days by agents in 2 large groups at gates 40 and 42 of the fence, about 16 kilometers east of El Paso city, they were ejected first by buses, then by vans. At Gate 40, most of them headfirst, some of them handcuffed behind their backs, they came out in a row, getting into the loaded vehicles from 7am to 10:30am. with refugees and in the direction of Border Patrol detention centres. After clearing their area, the area between the fifteen-metre wall and the Rio Grande, which is still US territory, they began cleaning up plastic and other rubble left by the immigrants.
According to Raúl Ortiz, head of the national border guard, at 15:15 local time (21:15 GMT), the process began at Gate 42, where a thousand people gathered. Detainees will need to be processed by the Border Patrol, who will decide whether they can initiate the asylum application process or be deported.
Washington, unshakable
El Paso’s federal and local authorities, both from the Democratic Party, have redoubled their efforts in recent days and hours to give an image of power and normalcy to immigrants at the border before Title 42, which expires at 9:59 p.m., is lifted. local time (+6 GMT).
Texas governor, Republican Greg Abbot, who ordered more agents to be sent across the border, tried to portray chaos and danger in his usual xenophobic message.
Over the past three days, border guards have intimidated hundreds of undocumented refugees camped around the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in downtown El Paso and persuaded the authorities to surrender if they don’t want to be killed.
Likewise, in the last hours, El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser 4,400 new beds to accommodate migrantsbut only to those who have passed the Border Guard triage.
Insistence came from Washington as well. tightening of anti-immigrant measures. After the end of Title 42, Title 8, the norm that has historically governed immigration in the United States, will apply, and in addition, the Government of President Joe Biden has announced new measures restricting access to asylum seekers at the Mexican border. . These new measures are considered “inappropriate” for seeking asylum. Immigrants crossing the border irregularly and that they did not seek protection in a third country during their journey to the USA.
deterrence campaign
In parallel, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently launched a advertising campaign persuading Latin American immigrants who have fled their country not to enter the United States. “Don’t listen to what smugglers say: learn about the US immigration system,” a DHS message on its Twitter page says. This security department stated that the campaign will be conducted in countries such as Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador and Colombia, and the messages will also spread “along the migration route and on the most popular social media platforms among immigrants”. .
On the back of a migrant family with two children, the text “The Jackal (human smuggler) defrauded us. It is a crime to enter the United States illegally. Say no to the coyote” in Spanish with red and white text can be read in Spanish. and that is part of this campaign. In another photo, this time from a border patrol, it reads: “The immigration laws of the United States are in effect. Crossing illegally is a crime.” In another photo of two immigrants who were put on a plane to be deported, it reads “Crossing illegally is a crime: There are consequences”.
A third digital brochure reads: “United States immigration laws have been tightened. From May 12, the United States government is making changes to increase the consequences of illegal entry into the country.” “These consequences include deportation, a 5-year re-entry ban, and prosecution of repeat offenders,” the message continued, warning that “those who do not follow the legal path to enter the United States may not be considered eligible for asylum.”
They keep throwing themselves into the Rio Grande
In the throes of Title 42, migrants stranded on the border with Matamoros, Tamaulipas in northern Mexico suffered a nervous breakdown and they didn’t stop throwing themselves into the Rio Grande This Thursday, more agents are joining the missions in the area families use to pass, as the US military reinforces the net with spikes.
Also in the final hours, mostly Venezuelans and people of various nationalities rushed to the edge of numerous streams with children and black bags carrying their belongings. “It’s a complicated situation, there are a lot of people who are already in a desperate situation. “A Venezuelan woman was crying, having a nervous breakdown, just because the time is drawing near, this Title 42 is coming to an end, and many are already in despair,” said Francisco Ponce, Red Cross relief coordinator in Matamoros.
According to information provided by Lifeguard, about 5,000 people have crossed irregularly from this area into the United States in the last 48 hours, but some have already been swiftly repatriated to this municipality.
They challenge authority
Along the banks of the Rio Grande, federal agents work on mandatory marches, stretching the fence along the edge, and more elements belonging to various companies are also observed, some with riot shields that simply monitor the passage of asylum seekers. “On the American side, they’re networking more and clearing the land for exactly what they think is going to happen,” Ponce said.
The awareness that the National Institute of Migration (INM) staff tried to enforce, nor the loudspeakers of Americans who repeatedly reiterated that they would be deported if they arrived irregularly, did not stand in the way of the phenomenon. . “We will move forward, whatever God wishes, we are in God’s hands. Let them keep us as long as they want because they have to respect the substance,” said Venezuelan Margorie Caballer.
This May 11, Title 42, implemented in the government of former President Donald Trump (2017-2020) to quickly return immigrants to Mexico, comes to an end, and Title 8, which has caused anticipation among those who have requested it, will come to life. crossing into US territory.
when time is up
In the last hours, the arrival of groups who knew that it was possible to cross from the area to Brownsville, Texas in the southern United States, to enter that country in time to directly enter the river, has been incessant. “It’s hard to get there, we have a chance to go until 12 at night,” said Venezuelan Jhon Ramírez.
It’s possible tonight Keep entering the Rio Grande and even opening new entry points Before the security reinforcement deployed by the US government to contain immigrants.