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Migrants at Roma international bridge continue to wait for processing amid freezing temperatures

Migrants at Roma international bridge continue to wait for processing amid freezing temperatures
11 months 1 week 3 days ago Tuesday, January 16 2024 Jan 16, 2024 January 16, 2024 7:08 PM January 16, 2024 in News - Local

Starr County is expected to be the coldest part of the Rio Grande Valley for a second straight night.

As of Tuesday evening, about 100 migrants were camped out on Mexico’s side of the Roma-Miguel Alemán International Bridge.

For some of them, it’ll be their first night at the bridge. For others, it's been a two-month wait to get permission to be in the United States. 

Among those waiting is Julissa, who said she’s trying to reunite her grandkids with their parents in Texas.

“We've slept on the floor, on the dirt, everything, and we're here. Now we're just a step away, and getting there is our dream,” Julissa said.

The line of migrants waiting to be processed extends the entire length of the pedestrian lane. 

Families at the bridge who spoke to Channel 5 News said they were ready for the long wait, but this week's cold temperatures were a surprise. 

Migrants are protecting themselves by placing blankets on the fence to block the cold wind.

“We're not losing our cool because there's no other option,” migrant Lucero Rodriguez said.

Ciudad Miguel Alemán Mayor Ramiro Cortez Barrera says their city has a warming center open to everyone, including those on the bridge. 

Barrera says they don't expect the migrants to leave the line, so instead they have staff standing by in case someone needs medical care on the bridge. 

The cold nights will be tough for these families, but many of them said they are happy to put up with the cold if it means making it to their next destination.

Watch the video above for the full story. 

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