Leeser calls comments of El Paso 'cleaning streets' during Biden's visit 'ridiculous'

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser responded after he had a confrontation with an anchor from FOX News about the city of El Paso clearing the streets when President Biden visited El Paso in January.

In a FOX News interview the anchor told Leeser that the city "sanitized" the streets during the President's visit.

Leeser said that was not true.

“That’s probably one of the most ridiculous statements I’ve ever heard. Because we are asking for federal funding and support from the president and FEMA. So we want them to see what we are dealing with day in and day out," Leeser said. "When the president came the numbers had gone down and continued to stay down. Now it has gone up again and will continue to go up again but for someone to say that is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard."

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Leeser said the city estimates there are about 2,000 migrants camped outside of Sacred Heart Church.

The mayor said the two schools that will be used as migrant shelters will probably open Monday or Tuesday.

Leeser said the city is working and talking to the migrants to see where they want to go, where they have their friends and family when busing them.

“We have to decompress our system because our shelters are only for temporary sheltering which we hope is between 24-48 hours max," said Leeser.

The mayor said he visited the shelters and NGOs in Ciudad Juarez. He said he was able to confirm that there are about 8,000 to 10,000 migrants in Juarez and said that he expects about 3,500 migrants to arrive in El Paso prior to May 12 which is when Title 42 ends.

Border Patrol said they have seen an average of 1,400 migrants a day since April in the El Paso Sector. The peak average was about 2,700 in November.

The top five nationalities of migrants they have encountered are: Mexican, Nicaraguan, Venezuelan, Colombian and Guatemalan.

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The mayor said El Paso has received $22 million from the federal government and said the city has $15 million available to use.

Rep. Veronica Escobar announced Friday that El Paso will be receiving $12.5 million from the Department of Homeland Security in emergency food and shelter funds.

“The federal government has been an incredible partner, this is not on the back of the El Paso taxpayer. The city of El Paso is not paying for the services provided. Secretary Mayorkas has been an incredible partner to El Paso," Lesser said.

"I talk to the White House daily in fact sometimes 2-3 times a day because they are providing a lot of assistance and a lot of guidance for us," said Leeser.

“The immigration system is broken absolutely and we can’t continue to do this as a community," Leeser.

Leeser calls on Congress to fix the immigration problem.

A large migrant encampment along the U.S. border near Loop 375 at Yarbrough Drive was spotted Thursday.

Migrants have also been spotted in the Socorro and Clint area.

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