Border Crossings Drop After Title 42 Lifted | NBC New York

and right now along the southern border, illegal crossings are dropping. The Homeland Security Secretary says border crossings fell by nearly 50% since COVID era restrictions were lifted last week. But border towns are struggling due to the influx of people already there. Our news for a team just arrived at the US Mexico border and found this child holding a sign that reads help family from Venezuela, New York. Many of those crossing the border could end up in the tri-state. And tonight, News 4's Gaby Acevedo is in El Paso, just yards from the border and one of the busiest crossings in America. Good evening, Gaby.

Good evening, Gilma, and to our viewers, as soon as we landed in El Paso, we drove to the center of town where we noticed a large group of people, like the group you see behind me, migrants, just stranded out in the streets, sleeping and eating on the sidewalks. Among that group, we found a 28-year-old Venezuelan man with wife and three kids who told me his dream is to get to New York City in search of work opportunities. Dozens of migrants leaping on the streets outside of a church in El Paso, providing food and shelter to asylum seekers. Pro-migrant activists helping those in need, families with women and children who have risked it all to get here. There were about 5,000 people between Gates 40 and 42, the words from 28-year-old Edison Rondon, who crossed the southern border along with his wife and three kids, ages three, four and seven. We made it to the land of opportunity more than anywhere else in the world, says Edison, one of his sons holding a sign that reads, help family from Venezuela, New York. Edison tells me in his native Spanish that he is looking to bring his family to New York City, where he's heard they treat migrants with respect and where he was given an immigration court appointment for August.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security says that since Title 42 was lifted on Thursday, the number of border crossings have dropped exponentially, mostly due to stricter migration policies implemented by the Biden administration. We have communicated very clearly a vitally important message to the individuals who are thinking of arriving at our southern border. There is a lawful, safe, and orderly way to arrive in the United States that is through the pathways that President Biden has expanded in an unprecedented way. Migrants must first secure appointments on an app before entering a port of entry. Those that cross illegally can be barred from seeking asylum for five years. And so we have not only a security imperative, but a humanitarian responsibility to cut those smugglers out. And that's precisely what we, as an administration, has done.

Our location is just outside of Sacred Heart Church, Sagrado Corazón, here in El Paso, not too far from the El Paso Norte crossing. At this point, officials say and estimate that about 10,000 people are on the other side waiting to cross from Ciudad Juárez to El Paso. Reporting live, Gaby Acevedo, News 4, New York.