10,000 migrants, many from Haiti, packed under Texas bridge

Sleeping on the ground and desperate for food, the group represents a growing humanitarian and political challenge for US President Joe Biden

Many had arrived via long and harrowing journeys through Central and South America, with some following routes shared on WhatsApp

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Migrants are seen by the International Bridge between Mexico and the US in Del Rio, Texas, on Thursday. Photo: US Congressman Tony Gonzales via Reuters

Published: 7:10am, 18 Sep 2021Updated: 7:51am, 18 Sep 2021

Haitians made up most of the over 10,000 migrants sleeping on the ground and desperate for food in a squalid camp under a bridge in southern Texas on Friday, in a growing humanitarian and political challenge for US President Joe Biden.

The Haitians were joined by Cubans, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans under the Del Rio International Bridge connecting Mexico to south Texas. They slept under light blankets, while a few pitched small tents, with temperatures forecast to go above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) in coming days.

Officials on both sides of the US-Mexico border said most of the migrants were Haitians and more are expected to arrive. Most of the migrants Reuters spoke to had not come direct from Haiti but had made long and harrowing journeys through Mexico and Central and South America.

Several of them told Reuters they followed routes shared among each other on WhatsApp.

Migrants walk across the Rio Grande carrying food and other supplies back to a makeshift encampment under the International Bridge between Del Rio, Texas, and Mexico on Friday. Photo: AFP

Del Rio Mayor Bruno Lozano said the number of migrants under the bridge that crosses into Mexico had jumped from 8,200 on Thursday morning to 10,503 by Thursday evening. He said on Friday he was ordering the bridge closed, but it was unclear if he had the authority to do so and traffic across the bridge continued.