(NewsNation) — As Title 42 is set to expire, communities on the U.S.-Mexico border worry about the influx of migrants while also grappling with a recent tragedy in Brownsville, Texas.
Communities along the border are on edge as numbers have reached capacities not seen before, with more than 25,000 migrants are currently in Customs and Border Protection custody. That’s while there are still days before Title 42 ends.
One border community in Brownsville, Texas, is dealing with an influx and also reeling after a tragedy. Brownsville police providing an update today on the man who they say plowed into a group of migrants waiting at the bus stop outside of a shelter.
Officials identified the driver as 34-year-old George Alvarez from Brownsville, saying he ran a red light, lost control and the vehicle flipped its side.
Police haven’t released any motive for the crash and are still waiting the toxicology results. However, Alvarez does has an extensive rap sheet including assaulting his own family members four times and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
He is now also facing an additional 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and eight counts of manslaughter. His bail is set at $3.6 million.
A vigil was held this morning at the Ozanam center with about 100 people in attendance. People could be seen posing with the Venezuelan flag; the director says 90% of people there are Venezuelan. The center is still working with the families of those killed yesterday on the next steps.
The tragic events that unfolded have migrants in the community on edge.
Catholic Charities in the Rio Grande Valley, which is the largest charity group along the southern border, says it is working to open more shelters in the valley and along the border. But it’s a task not helped by misinformation about what the end of Title 42 means and workers fear that a flood of migrants who believe the border is opening will overwhelm the shelters.