(NewsNation) — It’s been almost 24 hours since the pandemic-era immigration policy Title 42 ended and NewsNation’s Ali Bradley participated in a ride-along with lawmakers and members of the National Border Patrol Council to survey a section of the border where migrants have been crossing.
A group of Republican senators, including Ted Cruz, had previously visited the area. Concerns were raised over the 150,000 people that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) say are in Mexican states waiting for their chance at the American dream.
As the Title 42 deadline approached, however, there was no tidal wave of migrants at the southern border as some had expected. Instead, campfires and tents were seen as far as the eye could see, and music was heard from across the river in Mexico.
As the clock struck midnight, around 22,000 people attempted to cross the Rio Grande, with some scaling the walls of the riverbanks. Mexican officials urged them to go back, warning that it was too dangerous.
Bradley rode along with the Border Patrol Council toward a major breach point in Brownsville, Texas, just as news broke that a judge had blocked the Biden administration’s use of a policy to release migrants using parole.
“These mass paroles, it’s against the law. It’s against the law to do that,” said Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council.” So we’re not going to be able to parole people and we shouldn’t be able to parole people. There are other ways to handle that. All you have to do is cut down on the processing. A lot of the paperwork that border patrol agents do can be done by other agencies.”
National Guard troops, Humvees and concertina wire were on full display as they stretched for miles.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had deployed National Guard troops and concertina wire to block the passage of many migrants.
“Why is this happening?” asked Texas DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez. “It’s happening because, for one, they feel that the border is open. Because they’ve seen it for the past two years. You know, they have family and friends that have made it across, and they’re in the country right now. So, they feel like they’re entitled to cross illegally and enter the border.”
Razor wire and the Rio Grande are the only barriers really stopping more than 20,000 people from crossing the river into the U.S. seeking a better life. And you can see discarded items on the ground as they cross over, willing to risk everything in hopes of reaching the American dream.
“Well, with a lot of employment, with a lot of work, a lot of dedication, we came to this country to be part of many, many things,” said one migrant at the border.
Roughly 3,000 people crossed in the first eight hours of the expiration of the health code, and if migrants crossed illegally, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said they will be removed and not able to return for five years.
The Biden administration is now leaning heavily on Title 8 as the removal authority that has been in place for years.
Sector Chief Gloria Chavez reported that 1,900 migrants were apprehended in the Rio Grande Valley, with 1,800 of them being processed and removed under Title 8.
They had the option of turning around and going back to Mexico of their own volition, and that is what they chose to do instead of entering into formal removal proceedings.
Despite the risks, many continue to attempt to cross the border in search of the promise of a better life.
