Democratic Del Rio Mayor Bruno Lozano recently called out President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for continuing to ignore the devastating effects of the migrant surge and current border crisis. Del Rio has a population of about 35,000 people and has seen an explosion of migrants who have been entering the U.S illegally by walking across the Rio Grande river.
VP Harris recently attended a college football game, to which Mayor Lozano asked where her visit to Del Rio, TX was. She is having fun attending events across the country and conducting the opening coin toss while border town communities continue to grapple with Biden’s failed immigration policies. Lozano has also tweeted out at Biden asking what his plan is to protect American communities at the southern border. He said they have developed a temporary plan and would like to see his.
Mayor Lozano said the crisis at the border was so overwhelming that the migrants have developed their own separate economy under the border bridge where they could spend weeks at the camp before being transferred to an indoor detention facility. He said there are people having babies down there, collapsing in the heat, and acting pretty aggressive day after day.
Mayor Lozano has even talked about shutting down the toll booths at the International Bridge in order to protect the workers. He has declared the area a disaster, adding that they need to stop all traffic into Mexico from Texas or the other way around if they can’t guarantee the safety of the personnel. He said there is a large population under the bridge and that they don’t necessarily know who they are yet.
The encampment under the Del Rio International Bridge is mostly Haitian migrants and has reached a population of more than 12,000. The mayor says he is worried about the population of the camp, as well as the risk of security to the infrastructure. Resources have been extremely limited and Del Rio only has one hospital. There are also far fewer Border agents compared to other sectors across the border.
Some of the officers have already had to deal with assault cases, including Val Verde County Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez who said that the conditions at the camp are a “serious cause for concern.” He talked about the criminal activity being committed at the camp, with the latest one being a physical assault involving a female migrant who was struck by a male. The number of detainees at the Border Patrol camp currently exceeds 8,000 and the conditions lack sufficient sanitation for those crossing into the bridge camp.
Sheriff Martinez made it clear they will assist Border Patrol to the extent that their resources allow and that they are keeping a close eye on the tensions that arise. “We are definitely past the tipping point on this one. Mexico needs to help stop or slow the flow down. We are not seeing that,” Martinez adds.
Border Patrol agents have also expressed concerns about a stampede as the daily temperatures have jumped well around 100 degrees. MRC’s Jorge Bonilla even suggests that the Border Patrol agents and FAA are so concerned about getting overrun in a “human stampede” that it is at least part of the rationale behind their drone overflight shutdown.
Mayor Lozano has been attempting to do his part to appeal to Joe Biden for help. “Good evening from Del Río, TX. 10,503 (as of 6:45 pm, September 16, 2021) migrants under the Del Río International Bridge. This morning we started at 8,200. President Biden, have you been briefed on the ongoing crisis yet?… President Biden, for reference, 10,503 people are inching close to 1/3 of the population of Del Rio, Texas,” Lozano tweeted.
He has continued to update Biden on the population of Del Rio, TX, adding that dire circumstances require dire responses. Mayor Lozano notes that the challenge is “beyond words” but there’s not a thing Biden will do until he lets in as many people as he can. Red states will have to secure the border themselves if Biden won’t do it. Even Democratic Mayors are starting to plea for help.
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