Mobile processing centers help officials amid El Paso immigrant influx

The Border Patrol took in more than 300,000 immigrants in El Paso, Texas, last fiscal year. That’s more than a third of the surrounding county’s population. It’s an influx that overwhelmed the area and led to migrants sleeping on the streets. But the Border Patrol, city and county governments were quick to act and each created mobile processing centers.

The immigrants’ first steps into America are in downtown El Paso on a shallow section of the Rio Grande River. This allows them to cross, walk around an opening in the border fence and turn themselves in to the waiting Border Patrol agents.

When Straight Arrow News visited the area, hundreds waited in Juarez, Mexico, chanting “queremos trabajar” or “we want to work.” But they’re unlikely to cross successfully because of newly implemented rules from the Biden administration. On Oct. 12, the Department of Homeland Security announced that all Venezuelans who cross illegally will be sent back to Mexico. The U.S. will also work to bring in up to 24,000 Venezuelan immigrants who have a financial sponsor, pass a national security screening and complete a series of vaccinations and other health requirements.

Nearly 2,000 people per day turn themselves in at the Border Patrol mobile processing center. Upon arrival, they’re separated into three lines: families and unaccompanied children, single adults, and single adults from Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba. Next, their belongings are put into a bag, and they are given food and any necessary medical treatment. Finally, they receive a fingerprint and retinal scan and have their documents authenticated.

Querlie and Jose Louis arrived in El Paso after leaving Ecuador. They said the journey took nearly a month.

“They were extorting us, they asked for money and if we didn’t pay they would kill one of our children,” Querlie said.

The family said they have a friend in the states they can stay with. 

“We want to be here because we feel much safer here. We want to work, and keep moving forward without fear that they will kill one of us,” Querlie said.

From the mobile processing center, migrants who aren’t deported may ultimately end up at the county welcome center. It helps migrants coordinate transportation to family or sponsors in other areas of the country but doesn’t pay for it. According to the commissioners on the County Court, 99% of the immigrants who enter El Paso do not stay.

“These are single adults that do have actual sponsors or do have, you know, somebody who’s helping them,” Commissioner David Stout said. 

Commissioners on the court voted unanimously to approve the welcome center. Stout said the decision was made possible by an agreement with the federal government that it would pay for everything.

“We have been talking to the federal government for many, many years and letting them know — look, we should not be forcing local taxpayers to pick up the burden, the financial burden, of this federal issue,” Stout said. 

It’s a one-year contract at a cost of $6.9 million plus $146,000 to lease the building. There’s an option for a second year if necessary. They said they have already received the check from FEMA to pay for everything through December. 

“It’s important for us to do the best that we can to try to help them, welcome them and make sure that they’re taken care of. That they’re treated in the most humane way possible,” Stout said. 

But money aside, Stout said El Paso is a welcoming, pro-immigrant community that will work to ease the burden on families like Querlie and Jose Louis.

This is one story in a series of four original Straight Arrow News reports from the border.