A Mexican train was captured on video with what appeared to be hundreds of people riding on the top as it made its way to the United States-Mexico border amidst a growing crisis of unlawful migrants entering the U.S.
The footage, posted by journalist Auden B. Cabello on social media, shows a BNSF Railway train leaving central Mexico, apparently headed for the border.
This train left from Irapuato, Guanajuato, which is located about 200 miles northwest of Mexico City, according to Fox News.
From there, the train will head to Torreon, Monterey, and then to Piedras Negras, a border city across from Eagle Pass, Texas.
Eagle Pass has dealt with a vast number of unlawful migrants entering the U.S. through the city, prompting the local government to take multiple steps to account for the arrivals.
In September, Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr. issued an emergency declaration due to the high number of unlawful migrants, allowing the city to seek aid from federal and state governments, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
This step came just before U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 218,777 encounters with unlawful migrants in September, the highest number of encounters in a single month since 2000, per The Dallas Express.
The increased number of arrivals has resulted in action from both federal and state governments as well.
CBP announced on Monday that it will temporarily halt vehicle processing at “the international railway crossing bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas, in order to redirect personnel to assist the U.S. Border Patrol with taking migrants into custody.”
“In response to this influx in encounters, we will continue to surge all available resources to expeditiously and safely process migrants. We will maximize consequences against those without a legal basis to remain in the United States,” wrote the agency in a statement.
“CBP will continue to prioritize our border security mission as necessary in response to this evolving situation.”
On a state level, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently signed Senate Bill 4 into law, which makes unlawful entry into the state a crime.
Despite concerns that the legislation could result in racial profiling and increase the burden on taxpayers, the law is set to take effect on February 6, 2024.
