Not all migrants get exempted, even with Title 42 restrictions remaining in place

El Paso, Texas – Even as Title 42 restrictions continue, and border patrol agents in the El Paso sector expel migrants, there are exemptions made for some who want to cross the border.

Title 42 is a CDC directive that allows migrants to be expelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Multiple agencies had been preparing for the directive to be lifted, but even though it remains in place- border patrol said they expel on a case by case basis. 

The anticipated lifting of Title 42, led to an expected migrant surge. Within the El Paso sector, the types of crowds that were witnessed in 2019 did not materialize - even though some officials say the migrants are still coming.

CBP Border patrol agent Orlando Marrero-Rubio said they have faced many challenges, but the biggest one is they are worried they will see a repeat of what happened in 2019. 

Marrero- Rubio said they learned from that experience. 

He said the main thing that helped them was creating a processing center. 

Inside that processing center, he said they can hold 95 border patrol, processing coordinators. He said other agents are also available there that are focused on keeping the migrants safe. 

With the creation of the center, border patrol agents can stay in line “enforcing and protecting our nation’s borders while making it faster to put the migrants in a correct immigration pathway.”

He said the new CBP facility, which wasn’t yet built in 2019, is now helping out tremendously. 

In a presentation, El Paso city leaders provided more context on the ongoing situation regarding Title 42. 

City officials said if Title 42 is eventually lifted, they can estimate there will be about 1,000 people released per day. Right now, there are between 300-500 migrants released a day. 

He also told state and federal partners that there are about 60,000 people who are waiting in Ciudad Juarez to cross over once the restrictions are lifted and that numbers are expected to grow exponentially in the weeks ahead. 

Mario D’ Agostino, the deputy city manager said, right now, they are on track to surpass the numbers of migrants that we experienced in 2019. 

As for continued preparations for CBP officials, Marrero- Rubio said

“There is still room for improvement, and the mission still continues. So we'll take it a day by day basis and see where we can improve,” he said.