El Paso deputy city manager: no way to be fully ready for end of Title 42
Published: Tue, 12/06/22
El Paso deputy city manager: no way to be fully ready for end of Title 42
Migrants at Opportunity Center in downtown El Paso.
(credit KFOX14/CBS4)
CBS4 News
by Lianna Golden
EL PASO, Texas (CBS4) — El Paso Deputy City Manager Mario D’Agostino told El Paso city leaders on Monday that there is no way for them to be fully prepared for the expected surge in migrants that may come to the city when Title 42 expires.
"It’s not a good state. I mean we could see up to thousands a day passing through our community," said D’Agostino, who leads the city’s response to the migrant crisis.
D’Agostino said after talks with FEMA last week, it is becoming more clear just how dire the situation could really be when Title 42 lifts on Dec. 21.
"Nobody can keep up with that; there is no number of shelters you could have for that. It’s going to take an all-out effort and a lot of that is going to come on the federal government on what they can do to help decompress our region in our area,” said D’Agostino.
D’Agostino said they are prepping for the increase of migrants in other ways, like keeping city staff at local non-governmental organizations to relieve some pressure there.
However, he mainly reiterated what has been said for weeks now:
The city’s hands are tied until they get the money requested from the federal government.
“As we await those [monies], our city’s Welcome Center, any supplemental transportation, and of course, emergency sheltering is on standby,” said Jorge Rodriguez, the emergency management coordinator.
“That additional funding will be for when Title 42 is lifted or with the fact if they continue with street releases and they are unable to find shelter, we would have to step up. But we have been asking for the funding, and we continue to do that,” said D’Agostino.
Mayor Oscar Leeser added to the conversation, saying he too has been in talks with FEMA.
He said they should know by the end of this week at the latest when, or if, that up-front money will be coming in.
After that, he said there should be a better timeline of what's next for the city in handling the migrant crisis.