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Reuters
Central American migrants are seen inside an enclosure in El Paso after crossing the border between Mexico and the United States illegally and turning themselves in to request asylum
The US-Mexico border has reached “breaking point”, US officials say, amid an “unprecedented” surge in migrant numbers.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said it is “a matter of time” before tragedy strikes at one of their facilities.
In El Paso, Texas, officials have over 13,000 migrants in custody this week, he said.
Most of the migrants entering the US are families or unaccompanied children.
“On Monday and Tuesday, CBP started the day with over 12,000 migrants in our custody,” Mr McAleenan said at a news conference on Wednesday.
“As of this morning, that number was 13,400. A high number for us is 4,000. A crisis level is 6,000. 13,000 is unprecedented.”
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The Washington Post via Getty Images
Kevin McAleenan speaks in El Paso, just down the road from a makeshift detention centre
During previous immigration surges, many of those seeking entry were single adults, the commissioner said.
But because these are family units and children, they cannot be easily repatriated and instead, are “almost guaranteed to be released to remain in the US indefinitely”.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) still do not have the capacity to detain families and children, officials said.
Mr McAleenan said his agency expects 40,000 children to enter CBP custody in March after entering the US unaccompanied, “in the hands of violent and callous smugglers”.
“We are doing everything we can to simply avoid a tragedy in a CBP facility,” he added. “But with these numbers, with the types of illnesses we’re seeing…I fear that it’s just a matter of time.”
CBP officials are on pace to manage over 100,000 migrants this month – the highest in a month since 2008.
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CBP Handout
Agents provide food, water and medical screening to scores of migrants at a processing centre
The agency has now redirected 750 agents from their roles at ports of entry to instead support the “humanitarian mission”.
“We have in some sectors an average of 40% of our Border Patrol agents all fully engaged in just the care, transport, and processing of migrants.”
CBP is asking for assistance from other federal agencies including the National Guard and Department of Defence to increase the capacity to process migrants.
Mr McAleenan has also asked for immediate legislative action from Congress so the agency can detain families together. as well as for the government to fix issues in the legal process for asylum seekers.
He noted that it often takes two to five years for asylum seekers to see a judge, and only around 10 to 15% of migrants actually have a legitimate claim.
More on the US migrant crisis
- Inside the chaotic effort to reunite separated families
- ‘Sometimes I pray to my dead daughter’
- ‘Thousands’ more children may have been separated at border
US-Mexico border official says migrant crisis ‘at breaking point’