The government of U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Saturday that it will expedite air evacuation operations for more than 10,000 migrants, the majority of whom are from Haiti, who have been held by authorities for days under a bridge in Texas after crossing the border from Mexico. These migrants arrived in Del Rio, Texas, after crossing the Rio Grande River. Their numbers were below 2,000 at the beginning of the week but grew to over 10,500 by Friday, according to figures revealed by the city's mayor, Bruno Lozano, who expects new arrivals.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated in a press release that it will "secure additional aircraft to expedite repatriation flights to Haiti and other destinations" within the next 72 hours. Shocking images of these migrants gathered under the bridge in the heat prompted both Republican opposition and Democratic voices to urge Biden to resolve the situation without delay. The mayor of Del Rio, a Democrat, declared a state of emergency and closed the bridge to traffic on Friday.
In addition to the political unrest and insecurity in Haiti, a deadly earthquake in the southwest of the country in August killed over 2,200 people. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), 650,000 people, including 260,000 children and teenagers, are in need of "emergency humanitarian assistance."
The Department of Homeland Security outlined a plan on Saturday to contain the situation, indicating that Border Patrol has deployed 400 additional personnel "to enhance monitoring operations in the area." It added that the department is conducting "deportation operations and flights to Haiti, Mexico, Ecuador, and Northern Triangle countries" including Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala.
In response to criticisms from Republicans accusing the Democratic president of creating problems after he promised a "more humane" immigration policy, the Biden administration reminded that "our borders are not open and no one should undertake this dangerous journey."
The department emphasized in its statement that "illegal immigration poses a significant threat to the health and well-being of people living near the border and to the lives of migrants." Border Patrol confirmed that they have provided drinking water, blankets, and portable toilets to the migrants.
The Department of Homeland Security clarified that "the majority of migrants are being expelled under" a public health order adopted at the beginning of the pandemic to limit the spread of COVID-19. However, a federal judge ordered the government on Thursday not to expel families under this framework, which may complicate the authorities' efforts already facing historic migration flows at the border with Mexico. On Friday, the government appealed the judicial ruling.
The statement noted that among the other migrants, there are individuals without "legal grounds to remain" who are subject to regular deportation procedures. On Friday, about 2,000 migrants were sent to other centers so that Border Patrol could process their cases "quickly" and "deport them" if necessary.
Since President Biden took office in January, over 1.3 million migrants have been apprehended at the border with Mexico, a number not seen in 20 years. Republican opposition has accused Biden for months of causing a "migration crisis" by easing the policies of his predecessor, Donald Trump, who prioritized combating illegal immigration.
