‘It’s about time’: Migrants, residents at the Texas border anticipate Pres. Biden’s arrival

EL PASO, Texas – President Joe Biden is about to make his first go to to the Texas border as President of america in El Paso on Sunday.

KPRC 2 Investigates arrived Saturday night in anticipation of the go to.  Minutes after touching down we spoke with residents who’ve seen a latest surge of migrants of their metropolis.

One lifelong resident of 61 years didn’t maintain again along with his sentiments, “It’s about time he came visiting right here,” mentioned Alfred Barbosa.

Biden to get a firsthand take a look at US-Mexico border state of affairs

Barbosa’s metropolis has been overwhelmed with migrants from a number of nations crossing the border simply blocks from downtown.

When requested if he has seen something like this earlier than? Barbosa rapidly responded, “By no means right here in El Paso or (Ciudad Juarez), by no means.”

El Paso skilled an enormous surge of migrants final month leading to metropolis streets being flooded with 1000’s of recent undocumented residents. Throughout one stretch in December, there have been over 2,460 crossings a day in keeping with the U.S. Border Patrol Chief for this sector.

KPRC 2 Investigates went to Sacred Coronary heart Church within the shadows of the Paso del Norte Worldwide Bridge. It was there that we noticed migrants tenting out on the sidewalks with help from residents and numerous organizations.

Beside these lined up for meals, there was a line of buses parked alongside the south finish of the church. Because the temperatures dip into the thirties at night time the buses are being utilized not solely as warming stations but additionally cellular phone charging stations, “Each hour you rotate and one group goes right into a bus to get heat, then they get out and a brand new group goes in,” mentioned 24-year-old Bryan Cabrera who made it within the final week from Venezuela.

Steps exterior the buses, makeshift sleeping areas littered the sidewalk with many having solely a Purple Cross blanket to maintain them heat.

All however one of many migrants we spoke with had been of their early 20s and from Venezuela. When requested who was visiting El Paso on Sunday?  All had been very a lot conscious of President Biden’s go to.

Alejandro Gonzalez echoing the feelings of all, “Ojala el nos apoye,” which interprets to “hopefully he helps us.”

One migrant named John mentioned he desires to name Utah residence after legally visiting the state years in the past as a vacationer.  John additionally conveyed to us in Spanish that he and others will do no matter it takes so as to not be despatched again to Venezuela or again throughout the border into Mexico. After months of journey and having to keep away from the Mexican cartels he made it very clear he desires to instantly begin paying American taxes and work his method to turning into a legalized resident.

One intriguing side of the group that KPRC 2 Investigates recognized is that every one the migrants stayed put whereas a number of El Paso law enforcement officials had been parked across the church.  

One migrant named Alexander mentioned the rationale nobody continues with their journey is that “we don’t need to be arrested and deported.”

Which is why they sit and wait till an answer presents itself in a single kind or one other.

President Biden is about to spend a number of hours on the bottom Sunday. He’ll then depart for a go to to Mexico Metropolis.

KPRC 2 can have persevering with protection of the go to.