MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas arrived in the Rio Grande Valley on Thursday.
He spoke briefly with Border Patrol and local leaders on how DHS is expected to help RGV counties and cities prepare for the influx of migrants after Title 42 is lifted.
McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos says he learned comforting news in his brief chat with the DHS head.
“We’re also very happy we’re informed that hopefully there will be funding to be able to assist us while we assist them,” said Javier Villalobos, Mayor of McAllen.
After the 2021 border surge, McAllen received over $30 million in reimbursements.
Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez says he wants to make sure Mayorkas knew that the county needs urgent help from DHS.
“Right now what we’re seeing here is we had a manageable situation that’s about to go unmanageable from everything that I’m hearing. So it’s in his hands to do something about it. We need to make sure that we have all the proper resources,” Cortez said.
Cortez says that to prepare and handle the lifting of Title 42, he will be in regular contact with DHS.
“We’re very blessed with our Port Director and our Chief of Border Patrol here that we’re in daily communication. Every time that I call either one of them, they answer the phone immediately,” Cortez said.
Mayor Villalobos says the city is prepared in many ways.
“With the influx a couple of years ago, we did what we had to do to keep everybody safe, the immigrants and our community. We can handle a good amount we don’t want to, but we can,” Villalobos said.
Villalobos adds that McAllen is fortunate since it is not the ultimate destination for immigrants.
