Thousands of migrants have made their way to the US border as Title 42 immigration law changes.
The law, which had allowed for the rapid expulsion of migrants, has now expired.
Record numbers had headed for the southern border of the United States in hopes of crossing it before the midnight deadline.
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Amid the uncertainty and misinformation surrounding the change in entry restrictions, many fear it will make it more difficult to enter the United States.
Tens of thousands headed north through Mexico to border crossings as time ran out on title 42.
Migrants arrive on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande River bank in Matamoros, Mexico. photo: AP
photo: AP
Sky News witnessed several hundred migrants being rounded up at the border wall in El Paso, Texas by US Border Patrol guards, who escorted them onto buses to transport them to a nearby processing center.
In recent weeks, many migrants have been stranded. Those arriving who are given court dates to seek asylum also have to wait, in some cases up to four years.
In El Paso, Sky News spoke to Yandel Mackenzie, a Venezuelan, who told me he slept on the streets outside Sacred Heart Church for 15 days.
Migrants from El Salvador cross the Rio Grande River. photo: AP
photo: AP
He was given a court date for an asylum application, but not until 2027.
“I have the documents with the court dates for 2027. The hearing with the judge is at 8:30. What we need is the bus ticket to be able to get to our destination,” he said.
His friend, Wilmer Romero, also from Venezuela, said: “I want to leave already because look at the situation we are in.
“We sleep on the ground and eat whatever we can get hold of. We came to this country to progress and move forward, but that’s just life, it’s the things we have to endure in order to be able to do something with our lives.”
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Maryeli Rivas traveled to El Paso alone with her two young children.
She said: “My journey has been a bit tough because I’m alone with my children and we’ve had scary experiences. No one has helped me on my journey so far, no one has tried to help me.
Migrants wait in front of a gate after crossing from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico to El Paso, Texas. photo: AP
photo: AP
“Many things happened to me on the train and when I arrived (Mexico), so I decided to turn myself in and was held up for four days. I’ve been here for a month because I didn’t have the means to travel. It was tough.”
At the end of title 42, the migrants will have to face new restrictions at the entrance.
They will not be admitted if they arrive at the border without first applying online or seeking asylum in a country they passed through on their way to the United States.
Anyone caught crossing the border illegally will be barred from returning to the United States for five years and face criminal prosecution if they do.
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What happens after Title 42 expires?
Human rights groups have criticized the new rules, saying they wrongly assume safety for migrants in countries outside the United States and the efficiency of an online application system that has proven unworkable for the vast majority.
The restrictions are being introduced alongside other measures to encourage migrants to enter the United States legally.
This includes plans to establish US immigration centers in several countries, as well as an expansion of “humanitarian speech” to 30,000 people a month from Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
Under the scheme, they can stay and work in the US for two years, with the support of a sponsor.
