PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Coahuila — Up to 3,000 migrants are being staged in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, and are preparing to cross the border into Eagle Pass, Texas, on Wednesday. Breitbart Texas watched as hundreds of migrants began to form groups and crossed the Rio Grande into the United States.
From the Mexican side of the Rio Grande, Breitbart Texas observed migrants gathering by the hundreds in preparation to cross the border. The groups consist mostly of Venezuelan migrants.
Nearly 3,000 migrants begin crossing Rio Grande into Eagle Pass, Texas, on September 20.(Randy Clark/Breitbart Texas)
The migrants began crossing around 9 a.m. in small to medium-sized groups. Migrants told Breitbart they estimate as many as 3,000 migrants arrived in Piedras Negras by train after making the journey through Mexico.
Migrants stage in Piedras Negras before crossing Rio Grande. (Randy Clark/Breitbart Texas)
As the migrants began to cross the border, many abandoned identification documents along the Mexican bank of the Rio Grande.
Migrants discard ID on Mexican side of Rio Grande. (Randy Clark/Breitbart Texas)
Breitbart learned that Mexican police and National Guard units received orders not to interfere with the migrant crossings on Wednesday morning.
Mexican National Guard soldiers stand by and watch as migrants cross Rio Grande. (Randy Clark/Breitbart Texas)
On the U.S. side of the Rio Grande, Border Patrol agents staged migrants under the El Camino Real International Bridge in preparation of transporting them to a detention center for processing.
Border Patrol stages migrants under the bridge. (Randy Clark/Breitbart Texas)
Just two days earlier, Breitbart reported the crossing of more than 1,500 migrants during a six-hour period Monday morning. The migrants add to the already overcrowded Border Patrol processing centers and NGO shelters.
Migrant surge in Eagle Pass, Texas. (Randy Clark/Breitbart Texas)
Thousands of migrants are expected to be released by Border Patrol agents in the next few days, a source within CBP told Breitbart Texas. With the NGO shelters already kicking out migrants with no money, many of the released migrants will find themselves stranded on the streets of Eagle Pass and other border towns along the Rio Grande.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.