The mayor of Laredo confirms that fewer migrants are arriving

The number of migrants intercepted at the US-Mexico border was cut in half after the end of a rule adopted during the covid-19 pandemic, US authorities reported. The rule in question is called “Title 42”, a health rule implemented during the pandemic that was used to immediately expel migrants.

The end of this rule anticipated a migratory avalanche. What is surprising is that, on the contrary, the flow of migrants in reception shelters has been reduced during the first days.

“We have seen a smaller number (of migrants). Yesterday they sent us around 700,” explains the mayor of Laredo, Víctor Treviño. According to him, the main reason is that the regulations have changed. Now everyone who seeks asylum must first apply in other countries, before coming to the United States to request it. “This is the first factor,” he stresses.

But there are other elements, among others, that Mexico is helping migrants and has made shelters available to them. “The Mexican authorities have also shown some skill in having them there,” Treviño stresses.

Another point to take into account is that the new regulation stipulates that if a person has been returned or deported more than once, they run the risk of being punished for five years, that is, during that period they cannot enter the United States. .

In addition, the detention centers installed on the other borders now require that they have an appointment for their hearing in Court, but before being sent to the asylum centers or before being released on the street. “I think that all these factors combined have contributed to the fact that we are not seeing the tremendous boom that we were expecting,” says Treviño.

Although the number of migrants has been lower than expected in the first few days, authorities in Laredo are still on “high alert.” In particular due to possible overcrowding in immigration processing and detention centers. To this must be added the low capacity of hospitals, which do not have a pediatric intensive care unit.

“One of the most important points is that, from a medical point of view, here in Laredo we are neglected. Not only do we not have a pediatric intensive care unit, but there are also few places in hospitals,” Treviño specifies. If families with children arrive after long journeys, the mayor fears that the city will not be able to offer them sufficient medical care.

Local authorities have asked for federal funds for non-governmental nursing homes, but these have not arrived and for the moment the city has to offer the aid.

After the expiration of the “Title 42” rule, President Biden has promised to double the number of refugees he admits from the American continent, maintaining the expanded program of humanitarian permits thanks to which he is accepting the entry of up to 30,000 people per month who obtain a residence permit and for two years.

The challenge for the Biden government is to manage the high number of immigrants safely and orderly to the United States.