Thousands of migrants stake out under International Bridge in Del Rio
DEL RIO, Texas – There are more than 6,000 migrants sitting under the Del Rio International Port of Entry.
We’ve been speaking with both the sheriff and county judge in Del Rio, they tell me while they've never seen anything like this, there's nothing that can be done to stop them from coming.
Video from earlier Wednesday shows the thousands of families taking shelter underneath the bridge.
Some are walking across with bags, Val Verde County Judge Lewis Owens tells me while the immigrants wait to be processed they walk back and forth between the U.S. and Mexico to buy food.
Judge Owens says a caravan of 25,000 migrants is headed for the Texas border, how quick they'll get here is unknown.
But he says some of them started their trek in Venezuela on Sept. 10, catching flights to Mexico and now they're here in less than a week
Del Rio Mayor Bruno Lozano put out a letter calling and asking the federal government, the Department of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security for more manpower questioning how the Border Patrol sector here is supposed to get a handle on this situation.
We reached out to Customs and Border Patrol who said they are working with local, state and federal partners to process migrants in a safe, humane and orderly process.
They are providing water, towels and restrooms to the thousands of migrants under the bridge.
Not all of them will get to stay here.
Their statement reads in part:
“The vast majority of single adults and many families will continue to be expelled under the CDC’s title 42 authority, and those who cannot be expelled under title 42 and do not have a legal basis to remain will be placed in expedited removal proceedings”
Most of the immigrants here are Haitians.
We've reached out to your lawmakers, both republican and democrat, asking how they're going to help what many say is a border crisis.
Congressman Tony Gonzales will be in Del Rio Thursday, touring the area with Customs and Border Protection, we'll have more on this developing story then.
