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US ramps up plan to expel Haitian migrants gathered in Texas

Border Migrant Camp
Posted at 2:19 PM, Sep 18, 2021
and last updated 2021-09-18 17:19:33-04

DEL RIO, Texas (AP) — The Biden administration is nearing a final plan to expel many of the thousands of Haitian migrants who have suddenly crossed into a Texas border city from Mexico and to fly them back to their Caribbean homeland.

The action represents a swift response to the crisis, with the local sheriff estimating Friday that the crowd of migrants gathered under and around a bridge in Del Rio had swelled to 13,700 people.

The number of flights will depend on operational capacity and Haiti's willingness, but one U.S. official said there could be as many as five to eight a day and they could start Sunday.

Traffic was closed in both directions at Del Rio's border crossing to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico.