El Paso Braces for Third Wave of Migrants as Local Shelters Burst at Seams

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El Paso currently teeters on the brink of experiencing its third wave of migrant arrivals, with local shelters exceeding their capacity, according to a local nonprofit official. The Opportunity Center for the Homeless, a local nonprofit, has reported that their three shelters have been overpopulated for the past three weeks. There has also been an escalation in the number of people being released on the streets by US Customs and Border Protection.

The city witnessed 700 individuals being set free onto public spaces this past Friday. As a result, the El Paso Office of Emergency Management had to play its part in accommodating these migrants in hotels. These uncontrolled street releases invariably lead to a sorts of bottleneck scenario, where migrants, lacking the necessary resources to travel to their intended destinations, find themselves lingering longer in El Paso.


The incentives that drive individuals to migrate to the United States are manifold. While some seek refuge from violence, others are attracted by the prospect of economic advancement or the desire to reunite with family members who have already made their home in the country.

Recent weeks have seen an upsurge in migrant encounters at the border, with daily averages reaching 1,200 encounters, as per Laura Cruz-Acosta, El Paso Strategic Communications Director. Nonprofit organizations, along with city and county officials, have observed over 1,100 people being set free into the community every day. Via the use of hotels, the city has provided shelter for more than 4,200 migrants in just the past week.

The rising numbers have also led to an influx of migrants in Southern California. Migrant arrivals in San Diego County have risen to about 2,000 over the past few days as aid groups are striving to provide them with essential supplies, reports the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, a Los Angeles-based law firm focused on immigrant communities.

The unanticipated arrivals have stretched resources thin, with minimal prior planning. The need for additional aid for most migrants is clear. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria coordinated with federal officials for a secure process to not only protect the migrants but also the city’s residents. Gloria reiterated the necessity of including the Biden Administration’s southwest border supplemental appropriations request of $600 million in the upcoming government funding package to aid the ongoing sheltering and support operations from nonprofits.

Meanwhile, in the city of El Cajon, located 17 miles east of San Diego, Mayor Bill Wells has labeled this surge as a “disaster”. His city’s health resources and homeless shelters are strained to maximum capacity. The dire situation has been echoed in the constant cry for help throughout the city and state’s official statements and social media.