With Title 42 ending, San Antonio is bracing for a surge in migrants as resource center is over capacity

SAN ANTONIO — As we’re days away from Title 42 ending, preparations are being made for an expected surge of migrants in San Antonio.

Title 42 allows the federal government to turn away migrants from countries where diseases are spreading. Former President Donald Trump enacted the policy in 2020 to limit the coronavirus’s spread. 

Congressman Henry Cuellar was in San Antonio speaking about the end of Title 42 on Friday. As the city braces for a surge, the migrant resource center says it’s already over capacity. According to the city, the number of migrants at the center and at the airport has quadrupled in the last week.

In a statement, the city said, “This situation is not sustainable and continued funding from the federal government is uncertain. The City, in collaboration with Catholic Charities, will continue to operate the center at capacity for as long as it is able, yet without federal funding, its long-term operations is unknown. San Antonio must balance compassion with limited capacity.”

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will be in the Rio Grande Valley on Friday. He’ll reportedly be providing an update on planning and response operations ahead of the public health ordering ending on May 11.

He’ll also meet with elected officials, border patrol and non-profits. Secretary Mayorkas arrived in McAllen on Thursday, and met with the McAllen’s mayor and the Hidalgo County judge.

The acting customs and border protection commissioner and the U.S. border patrol chief will also be there.

Officials estimate 10,000 people will try to seek asylum a day once Title 42 ends. The pentagon is now temporarily deploying 1,500 soldiers and marines to the southern border who will be there for at least 90 days. The service members will not be tasked with law enforcement duties like detaining and processing migrants. Instead, they’ll be helping with logistics and other administrative tasks.