Migrants amass along US-Mexico border as Covid-era restrictions near end
Visit our website:
http://www.france24.com
Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English
Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/France24_en
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 After hours of waiting, tensions rise outside these immigration offices in Tapachula in
00:05 the south of Mexico.
00:07 They've come in there hundreds from the border with Guatemala, in a hurry to cross the border
00:12 into the US before Friday.
00:14 "We need to go as fast as possible."
00:17 "I heard on the news that they were going to close the border and that we had to get
00:22 through before May 12th."
00:26 Many are misinformed and think they'll no longer be able to enter the US after Thursday.
00:32 But what Title 42's expiration actually means is the end of a policy that allowed authorities
00:37 to quickly turn away migrants at the border.
00:40 So while some fear that applying for asylum may become more difficult, that's not what's
00:44 worrying US authorities.
00:46 They're bracing for a surge in illegal migration, which could exacerbate an already challenging
00:50 humanitarian crisis.
00:53 In places like San Diego in California, border staff are already out of their depth.
00:58 Hundreds of migrants have been waiting here for days, stuck between two checkpoints.
01:03 To help border police, the Biden administration has planned to deploy an additional 1,500
01:08 active duty troops to assist the National Guard.
01:11 Texas' governor has also taken matters into his own hands and announced the deployment
01:16 of a new unit.
01:17 "They will be deployed to hot spots along the border to intercept, to repel and to turn
01:25 back migrants who are trying to enter Texas illegally."
01:30 Homeland Security says migrant crossings could reach up to 10,000 per day once Title 42 is