Shocking and sickening video has emerged from the U.S.-Mexico border as thousands — perhaps tens of thousands — of illegal immigrants surged across the border after President Joe Biden let Title 42 expire on Thursday.
With a midnight deadline looming, illegal immigrants in Mexico shed clothing before descending a steep bank into the Rio Grande, clutching plastic bags filled with clothes.
On the U.S. side of the river, illegal immigrants put on dry clothing and picked their way through concertina wire. Many surrendered immediately to authorities and hoped to be released with a promise to return to U.S. court for a hearing. The immigration courts are backlogged, so summons could take years.
Shocking videos emerged from local new organizations showing the chaos.
Take a look —
Matamoros Mexico, where everyone heartfeltedly believes @SecMayorkas many public assurances that “the border is closed”
And “the border is secure” pic.twitter.com/DJlhLDv7nm— Todd Bensman (@BensmanTodd) May 9, 2023
A look at the border in Brownsville yesterday evening from our fantastic drone team. Nonstop illegal crossings. Massive amounts of discarded trash and clothing. pic.twitter.com/rsQTAMYGRY
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) May 10, 2023
Large groups crossing in Brownsville. Look at the trash and debris. Where is the media in the worst Border Crisis in this countries history. #bordercrisis pic.twitter.com/ZZpnw5Kogo
— Jaeson Jones (@jaeson_jones) May 10, 2023
Holding facilities along the border are far beyond capacity, and Border Patrol agents were told Wednesday to begin releasing some illegal immigrants with instructions to appear at a U.S. immigration office within 60 days, according to a U.S. official.
Most illegal immigrants, an estimated 90 percent, never return to the court system and simply vanish into the United States.
Agents were also told to start the releases in any area where holding facilities were at 125% capacity or the average time in custody exceeded 60 hours. They were also instructed to start releases if 7,000 migrants were taken into custody across the entire border in one day.
The Border Patrol stopped about 10,000 illegal immigrants on Tuesday, one of its busiest days ever, according to a second U.S. official who provided information to the AP on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
That’s nearly double the daily average of about 5,200 in March, the latest publicly available data, and close to the 11,000 that U.S. officials have predicted is the upper limit of the surge they anticipate after Title 42.
More than 27,000 people were in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody, the official said.
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article