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Migrants in Mexicali await the end of Title 42

FOX 9's Adam Klepp spoke with a shelter director on if he's preparing for more arrivals, and asked migrants about their post-Title 42 plans

MEXICALI, Mexico (KECY, KYMA) - There are signs of a possible migrant surge in Mexicali, as migrants who crossed into Yuma Monday were returned to the Mexicali port just 3 hours later.

He plans to cross into the United States again when Title 42 ends.

"They’ve told me they don’t can’t take asylum cases right now due to Title 42. Until that title is lifted is when they’ll give us asylum again,” Santos Florejardon said.

Santos says he’s now crossed illegally into the U.S. 4 times, contributing to the 49% repeat crossing rate for migrants expelled under Title 42, revealed in court documents in Arizona's lawsuit to keep title 42 in place.

Other migrants like Erik Rosales may give up on their new life in the U.S. after continually being denied entry to the country.

“I’m tired, I’m stressed, I didn’t reach my goal,” Rosales said.

Outside the Hotel del Migrante Deportado, a shelter for deported migrants in Mexicali, I also met Miguel Angel, whose face was scratched and was on crutches.

As Title 42 has closed ports of entry to asylum seekers, migrants are taking more and more desperate routes to get into our country.

“We got up the wall using a ladder. And when it came time to come down border patrol was telling me to hurry up and come down. And because I listened to him I fell,” Angel said.

Miguel says he broke his leg, and was treated in a San Diego hospital.

After he was discharged, he says he was brought back to Mexicali.

The director of the migrant shelter Sergio Tamai says there are many more Title 42 migrants like Miguel, Erik, and Santos all along the southern border.

"Up to 200 are deported back to Mexicali daily. Tijuana was up to 500 daily. But the people are waiting to cross back into the U.S. because the news is that Title 42 will be removed May 23,” Tamai said.

Tamai says the migrants he meets all want to cross into the U.S. legally, but feel forced to cross illegally because they don’t know if their claims will be accepted.

"We want to make a recommendation to the Biden Administration. We said there is a tsunami coming. It’s here. And more so when Title 42 is lifted. They have to tell people to not cross illegally but do a better job handling the legal immigration process,” Tamai said.

The most recent Customs and Border Protection statistics show a current rate of about 7,000 apprehensions a day along the southern border.

With over 1.8 million Title 42 expulsions over the last two years, all signs point to that number continuing to grow.

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Adam Klepp

Adam Klepp is excited to start his first job in the broadcast news industry as the FOX9 at 9 anchor and as a reporter at 5 and 6 on News 11.

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