Texas Mayor Warns of National Consequences from Worsening Border Situation

The mayor of Laredo, Texas, is warning that while it's mainly the communities alongside the U.S.-Mexico border that have had to deal with the influx of migrants, the impact of the situation will ultimately trickle down to Americans across the country.

"[The situation] is so complicated that even Congress doesn't want to touch it, but it's here and border cities have to deal with it," Mayor Pete Saenz told Newsweek on Monday. "I say border cities initially, but ultimately, it's going to impact all of us."

"It impacts every community really, because all of these people are heading north and be that as it may, it's going to impact your health system, it's going to impact your public education system," he said.

Federal officials are on track to process even more migrants at the southern border this fiscal year (which ends at the end of September) than last year's record of 1.7 million. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has already apprehended more than 1.5 million in 2022—more than 600,000 when compared to the same timeframe in 2021—according to data from the Department of Homeland Security.

The historic migration episode that began shortly after President Joe Biden was inaugurated has continued to trouble American border towns. Many are still experiencing high numbers of migrant encounters more than a year after Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden's border czar, urged those seeking asylum, "Do not come."

Since Newsweek last spoke to Saenz, "Things really haven't changed much," the mayor said. "They've actually gotten worse."

Back in March 2021, Saenz had said that he was informed that Laredo—the third-most populous city on the border—was told to be expecting a significant surge in migrants, much like the Rio Grande Valley was experiencing at the time. However, he said the town had still not received additional resources from the federal government to help mitigate the anticipated flow of people.

Sixteen months later, the mayor continues to seek that help from the Biden administration.

"I've been vocal with the Biden administration about providing the necessary resources that border patrol and other federal agencies need," Saenz said.

Had his requests been accommodated, the mayor speculated that the recent tragedy in San Antonio could have been prevented.

Last month, more than 50 migrants died after being trapped in a sweltering tractor-trailer in what is believed to have been the deadliest human smuggling incident in U.S. history.

"These migrants came to the Laredo sector and then ended up in San Antonio through the checkpoint," Saenz said. "That checkpoint—for years, we've been asking that it be expanded."

The mayor said while he was informed that the Trump administration had budgeted for an expansion at the checkpoint, the Biden administration scrapped plans for the inspection site—a move he said "disappointed" him and "hurt" Laredo.

Saenz added that while he understands Biden has worked to reverse a number of Trump-era policies, he hoped that the president would seize an opportunity to show that his immigration alternatives could be effective. To start, he urged Biden to begin sending the necessary resources he's pleaded for since last year.

"It's obvious that they want less restrictions for these migrants," Saenz said, "So be it, but the finances, use of personnel.... All I see is just a need that hasn't been filled yet."