The Biden government has released over 7,000 COVID positive illegal immigrants into the city of McAllen, Texas since mid February of 2021—including
over 1,500 infected migrants in just the past week, Fox News’ Bill Melugin reported on Wednesday.
“Despite the City of McAllen and its community partners’ best efforts, the sheer number of immigrants being released into the city has become a crisis: a crisis the City of McAllen did not create and has proactively tried to avoid for seven years,” the city said in a statement.
NEW: The city of McAllen, TX says the federal government has released over 7,000 COVID positive migrants into their city since February, including over 1,500 new infected migrants in just the *last week alone*. A local state of disaster in McAllen has been declared. @FoxNews
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) August 4, 2021
McAllen set up a temporary emergency shelter Tuesday night in response to the massive influx of migrants who were left stranded in the city by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
According to Melugin, the city said the federal government is releasing “an alarming number of immigrants” into McAllen, and the feds aren’t testing them for COVID.
BREAKING: The city of McAllen has started constructing emergency shelters for illegal immigrants released by Border Patrol. The city says the federal government is releasing “an alarming number of immigrants into McAllen, and that the feds aren’t testing them for COVID. @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/hy9TbKtgCM
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) August 4, 2021
Migrants reportedly began to arrive at the shelter Wednesday afternoon.
Migrants are beginning to arrive at the emergency tent shelters the city of McAllen constructed overnight. The city says the Feds have been releasing an “alarming” number of migrants into their city, untested for COVID, & leaving hundreds stranded on the streets. @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/OrL1FQxPLf
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) August 4, 2021
On Monday, Melugin reported on Twitter that Border Patrol was dropping off busloads of migrants at the Catholic Charities facility in downtown McAllen all day long. After being given food and shelter, the migrants are then bussed or flown into the interior of the country, he reported.
NEW: All morning long we’ve watched Border Patrol drop off multiple bus loads of migrants at a Catholic charity in downtown McAllen, where they are given food & shelter before they take buses and flights across the United States. Buses arriving every 30 minutes so far. @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/Yon4rpN3VZ
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) August 2, 2021
After crossing the border illegally, the migrants actually seek out Border Patrol because they know they will be given food and shelter and released into the country.
This happens very often out here…groups of migrants will show up…no Border Patrol immediately on hand because they are so overstretched, and the migrants will end up asking us “Donde esta la migra?” (Where’s Border Patrol/Immigration?)
We give out tons of waters. Brutal heat. pic.twitter.com/0UfDyYbjuf— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) August 4, 2021
According to ValleyCentral.com, a McAllen hotel has been set up to house illegal aliens with COVID-19.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order last week allowing troopers to stop vehicles suspected of carrying illegal immigrants over fears they could spread COVID-19, but a federal judge on Tuesday blocked it.
Abbott blasted the temporary order issued by US District Judge Kathleen Cardone of El Paso as “temporary and based on limited evidence.”
“We look forward to providing the Court with the evidence to support the Governor’s Executive Order to protect Texans,” he added.
“The Biden Administration has knowingly—and willfully—released COVID-19 positive migrants into Texas communities, risking the potential exposure and infection of Texas residents,” Abbott said in a statement following the judge’s order.
“The Governor’s Executive Order attempts to prevent the Biden Administration from spreading COVID-19 into Texas and protect the health and safety of Texans.”
On Monday, the city of McAllen issued a local disaster declaration, for the city to receive resources from Hidalgo County and the state of Texas. Hidalgo County had also issued a local disaster declaration.
Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez told ValleyCentral in a previous interview that there is a nursing shortage and keeping up with COVID-19 hospitalization of residents has not been easy. In addition, the influx in asylum seekers testing positive for COVID-19 is also tipping the scale.
“But now we’re seeing that they’re coming in with a high infection for COVID, and there’s no room for them anymore,” said Cortez.
Cortez also told ValleyCentral the infection rate for migrants rose to a shocking 16%, doubling the numbers from last time. Sister Norma Pimentel of the Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley also says the federal government needs to step in.
As they grapple with the crisis, Cortez and McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos say they have not heard “a single word” from the federal government.