El Paso declares state of emergency over influx of migrants 

The mayor of El Paso declared a state of emergency on Saturday after thousands of migrants seeking asylum made their way to the city and are sleeping on the streets in cold temperatures. 

Mayor Oscar Leeser said the emergency declaration would help free up resources to help accommodate and shelter the migrants that crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. 

"We wanted to make sure people are treated with dignity. We want to make sure everyone is safe," Leeser told reporters.

El Paso has seen a record-breaking number of undocumented migrants arriving at the city in recent months. Throughout the past week, U.S. Border Patrol agents are intercepting around 2,400 migrants a day along the 268-mile stretch of the border known as the El Paso Sector, according to data published by the city. 

The numbers seen last week represent a 40% increase compared to the number of migrants crossing the border in the sector in October. 

The unprecedented number of migrants arriving in El Paso has overcrowded local shelters beyond capacity and has left many sleeping on the streets in freezing-cold temperatures. 

In addition to securing more funds, the emergency declaration will also provide the city with transportation options to bus migrants to other destinations and additional help from state law enforcement agents, according to Deputy City Manager Mario D’Agostino. 

"It's for the safety of themselves... community members and everyone involved," D'Agostino said.

The city is bracing for an additional influx of migrants after the immigration policy known as Title 42 was ordered to end on December 21 by a U.S. judge. The Trump-era policy allowed border patrol agents to quickly expel migrants without hearing their asylum cases to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.