PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Coahuila — Piedras Negras, Mexico, where migrants once flooded the streets after getting off freight trains, is now devoid of the migrants that have become commonplace during the migrant crisis in recent months. The sharp decline came as Mexican authorities began removing migrants from the railway line known as “La Bestia.” Breitbart visited Piedras Negras, Mexico this week, where military patrols had increased and only a small number of migrants were attempting to cross into the United States and enter Eagle Pass.
Breitbart, Texas, which once stood on the Mexican bank of the Rio Grande and watched a single group of more than 2,000 immigrants pour into the United States near Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, is now a hastily built Army National Guard post. have been set up to ensure that migrants are no longer able to move. We arrive at the bank of the river. A Mexican military lieutenant spoke freely with Breitbart Texas and said his unit is supporting operations throughout the Mexican state of Coahuila, including strengthening freight train operations in Monclova, Coahuila. The lieutenant was not aware of efforts taking place in other parts of Mexico.
Casa del Migrante, a migrant shelter less than 100 yards from the Rio Grande, was forced to turn away thousands of migrants arriving in December due to capacity issues. Only a few migrants could be seen coming and going from the shelter. Breitbart Texas spoke to several migrants who detailed the swift enforcement efforts by Mexico’s National Protection Agency to remove large groups of migrants from trains and prevent them from reaching border cities.
Francisca, Texas, one of the migrants Breitbart spoke to, was taken off a freight train in Monclova with her husband and 13-year-old son. She said Mexican authorities stole all her belongings and separated her from them a few days ago. Narrating what happened, she said authorities, who she described as members of the military, forced the migrants off the train. She explained that she does not know what happened to her son and her husband, whom she has not seen since.
Another family at the shelter is a young Honduran man with a full arm of tattoos, including an AK-47 and a Santa Muerte tattoo, who was recently expelled from Houston, Texas but hopes to return soon. He said he was there. Miguel refused permission to be photographed, but said he, his wife and young daughter fled Mexican authorities in Monclova and hid in a ditch as hundreds of migrants were taken off the La Bestia freight train. Told. He confidently told Breitbart Texas that he expects to return to Houston soon.
Breitbart Texas encountered two Mexican migrants on their way to a busy immigration intersection south of the city. When asked about their intentions, they seemed eager to jump into the back seat of our car, as if they were waiting for smugglers. To get closer to the river crossing point. The two had hoped to cross to the United States, but said they did not know where they would go after that. In September, Breitbart Texas posted a picture of more than 2,000 migrants en masse crossing the Rio Grande and entering Eagle Pass near Shelby Park at that very intersection.
Thousands of people were crossing the Rio Grande in December, but fewer than 12 were seen in the Mexican border city of more than 200,000 people. As Breitbart Texas observed the activity across the street from the heavily patrolled and fortified Shelby Park, five immigrants were seen holding a concertina wire and ” “I won’t climb.”I was playing a waiting game at the base of the fence.
Breitbart Texas observed a border area with little law enforcement presence from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande just outside Shelby Park. A lone Border Patrol agent stood guard near a fence and concertina wire fence set up by the state of Texas. The fence is still littered with debris from the December railroad crossing, but it has now disappeared due to stepped-up operations in Mexico.
The significant drop in migration to Eagle Pass became apparent shortly after the Biden administration met with Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) in late December. After talks with Mexico aimed at reducing illegal immigration, 4,400 migrants, mostly through Eagle Pass, passed on December 19, according to unofficial immigration roundups reviewed by Breitbart Texas. , it shows a nearly 90 percent decrease to 454 people by January 1, 2024.
Concerning statistics provided to Breitbart Texas by a Customs and Border Protection official who was not authorized to speak to the media showed that a significant drop in migrant arrivals was the result of a December meeting between Biden officials and the Obrador administration. It clearly shows that there is.
The most notable change in attitude by the Mexican government was the roundup and Migrants expelled by air from border city Piedras Negras. On December 22, the first flight of migrants departed from Piedras Negras to return some to their home countries and others to southern Mexico.
It is unclear what was promised in exchange for the sweeping enforcement changes in Mexico. However, within a week of the meeting, AMLO requested $20 billion in U.S. financial aid for Latin American and Caribbean countries. AMLO also called for the lifting of sanctions against Venezuela and the easing of the embargo on Cuba.
After the meeting between the Biden administration and AMLO, migrant traffic in the Eagle Pass area dropped sharply, as pointed out in a post on X (formerly Twitter) by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who along with 64 other Republicans The only reason I visited Eagle Pass with other people was for the following purposes. Border Patrol detention facilities near Eagle Pass were nearly empty, and the Shelby Park area was found to be completely devoid of migrants.
This is a comparison between Eagle Pass from just a few weeks ago and yesterday.
The Biden administration has decided to divert a flood of illegal immigrants elsewhere to avoid them appearing on camera. @HouseGOP‘s visit to Eagle Pass. Don’t be fooled, they are still released… pic.twitter.com/XzjPVq5xxB
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) January 2, 2024
Despite sending a request to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about efforts to stop, slow, and reroute migrants to the Eagle Pass area, Johnson has not provided details of the December meeting or communication with AMLO. Nothing has been disclosed about the content of the promise. This measure further reduced migrant arrivals since the bilateral meeting. By Jan. 31, the number of daily migrant crossings across the entire 210 miles of border surrounding Eagle Pass had fallen to 195, a 95 percent drop from the December high of 4,400 on Dec. 19. .
randy clark He is a 32-year veteran of the U.S. Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as Division Chief of Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol stations within the Del Rio, Texas area. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
