Police to remove many illegal migrants from El Paso streets before Title 42 ends.

Tim PearceMay 10, 2023

El Paso Sweeps for Illegal Immigrants Ahead of Title 42 Repeal

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is conducting a targeted enforcement operation in El Paso, Texas, ahead of the repeal of Title 42, a Trump-era health order that has allowed border agents to immediately expel illegal aliens from the country. The operation aims to process individuals for vetting and placement into Title 42 expulsion or Title 8 removal proceedings, as applicable. Noncitizens who pose a threat to national security or public safety will be transferred to ICE for detention.

Thousands of Migrants Expected to Cross the Border

The operation comes as thousands more migrants are expected to cross the border from Mexico into El Paso after Title 42 is repealed. El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser previously estimated that up to 15,000 migrants could be in Ciudad Juárez, right across the border from El Paso, preparing to enter the U.S. when Title 42 expires on Thursday. About 2,500 migrants are living on the streets of El Paso, according to reports.

Overwhelmed Holding Facilities and NGO Centers

Many federal immigrant holding facilities and NGO centers are already at capacity or overcrowded. Eight of nine sectors along the U.S. southern border are overwhelmed days before Title 42 is scheduled to expire, according to NewsNation’s Ali Bradley. Immigration officials have seen a steady surge in illegal migration in the weeks leading up to Title 42’s expiration.

Border Patrol and ICE Agents Frustrated with Operation Handling

Some Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were reportedly frustrated with how the El Paso operation is being handled. Fox News reporter Bill Melugin said that he continues to hear from frustrated contacts who are in disbelief that DHS/CBP announced in a press release that they were going to run an enforcement operation in El Paso targeting gotaways/evaders camping on streets. He added that much of the migrant population cleared out before the operation this morning, after the press release went out.

Border Patrol Chief Reports High Apprehension and Gotaway Numbers

Border Patrol chief Raul Ortiz reported on Monday that Border Patrol averaged nearly 9,000 migrant apprehensions per day and tallied over 7,000 gotaways, illegal immigrants who were seen entering the U.S. but could not be apprehended.