US Prepares for Migrants Influx at the Border as Title 42 Expires
US President Joe Biden's administration is getting ready for the expiration of Title 42, which has permitted officials to turn away most asylum seekers at the US Mexico border. HERIKA MARTINEZ/AFP via Getty Images

More than 10,000 migrants were apprehended at the US-Mexico border in just 24 hours, raising concerns about what comes next when Title 42 immigration policy expires this week.

The nearly 11,000 border apprehensions in a single day is reportedly a record and surpass expectations of 10,000 per day predicted by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials on what could come when the Trump-era policy ends late Thursday.

According to BBC, El Paso in Texas was the first to experience a sample of the border "crisis" ahead of Title 42 expiration, with bewildered migrants forced to live in impromptu camps on the streets, unsure of what would happen when US policies change.

Thousands have camped overnight near a city church, and Mayor Oscar Leeser admitted Wednesday that they have "never seen this before."

He added that "something has to change" because as a community, they "can't do this forever." President Joe Biden said that despite the officials' best efforts, the border would be "chaotic for a time."

Since 2020, Title 42 has allowed US authorities to quickly expel migrants trying to cross the US-Mexico border, including asylum seekers, using the COVID-19 pandemic as a justification.

However, thousands of migrants still attempted to cross the US-Mexico border. The influx of migrants has strained resources and left border communities searching for solutions.

US-Mexico Border States and Cities Are Bracing Up Ahead of Title 42 Expiration

According to Al Jazeera, preparations are underway in border states and cities along the US-Mexico border as officials brace themselves for a surge in undocumented immigrants.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently announced that he would send the state's new "Texas Tactical Border Force to the border, under the control of the Texas national guard.

On Tuesday, US Customs and Border Protection officials conducted a "targeted enforcement operation" in El Paso which has seen an increase in irregular crossings in the past days.

The DHS is planning to limit the number of legal travelers across the Paso Del Norte port of entry to focus on security.

Three Texas cities, namely Brownsville, Laredo, and El Paso, where hundreds of migrants, mostly from Latin America and some from China, Russia, and Turkey, have already declared a state of emergency as they struggle to cope with the influx of migrants.

Leeser said preparations are being made for the arrival of more migrants on Friday, which is estimated to be between 8,000 and 10,000.

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs recently noted that the state would continue to relocate people illegally crossing the border to other parts of the US.

At Least 100,000 Latin Americans to Reunite With Families

The Biden administration has announced a plan to allow a minimum of 100,000 Latin Americans to reunite with their families in the US. This idea was revealed just before the expiration of Title 42, the Associated Press reported.

During a recent visit to the border city of Brownsville, Texas, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said that individuals would need to apply for authorization to join their relatives in the US at regional processing centers.

These hubs will be extended throughout the Western Hemisphere, starting in Guatemala and Colombia.

Mayorkas noted that the centers would process petitions for family reunification parole, applications for the US refugee program, and humanitarian parole for people who were found to be highly vulnerable.

A new family reunification parole program has been established to aid the entry of immediate family members of US citizens and lawful permanent residents from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Colombia.

The US government will invite those who qualify for participation in the program. Approved individuals will be granted advance travel authorization and the opportunity to apply for employment authorization in the US.

The administration has promised to provide more details by mid-June. Citing the US State Department data, Migration Policy Center's Julia Gelatt said at least 284,000 Latin Americans had already filed family sponsorship petitions.

That includes 78,000 Salvadorans, 57,000 Hondurans, 58,000 Guatemalans, and 56,000 Colombians.

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Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Border Braces for Influx of Migrants as Title 42 Expires - From ABC News