Agents at the U.S. border with Mexico began moving thousands of Haitian migrants sheltering under the Del Rio International Bridge into the Texas town of Del Rio. The increasingly poor conditions under the bridge – which connects the Texas city with Mexico – led the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) to accelerate flights to Haiti and other destinations within the next 72 hours.

The DHS over the weekend said that some 2,000 people were moved to other immigration processing stations on Friday, as the town has been overwhelmed by an influx of Haitian and other migrant groups. The department said the transfers will continue to ensure that migrants are “swiftly taken into custody, processed, and removed from the United States consistent with our laws and policy.”

As the United States plans to accelerate the pace and increase capacity of flights to remove migrants at the border, the Biden administration directed U.S. agencies to work with Haiti and other governments to provide assistance and support for migrants returned to their countries.

It is only in recent days that the number of migrants seeking jobs and safety converging on Del Rio has drawn widespread attention, posing a humanitarian and political challenge for the Biden administration.

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