Asylum seeker crossings into US city of El Paso spike on weekend – By Al Jazeera and News Agencies (Al Jazeera) / Dec 12, 2022
Critics warn looming end of Title 42 immigration policy could lead to more crossings along the US-Mexico border.
The US border city of El Paso, Texas, has said an estimated 5,105 asylum seekers are in custody as of Monday, after a wave of people crossed the Rio Grande River over the weekend.
Data compiled by El Paso showed that agents for the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) documented 2,399 encounters in the area over the last 24 hours alone, including 892 people released into the community, where shelters and non-profits are stretched to capacity.
On its website, El Paso said the majority of the refugees and migrants are arriving from countries such as Venezuela, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Cuba, where violence and economic strife are widespread.
The city has tallied an average of 900 people per day passing through its facilities or that of local nongovernmental organisations (NGOs).
