City taking legal action to stop transport of migrants to Laredo

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - City officials are resorting to the courts in the hopes of stopping any more buses from bringing migrants to shelters here in Laredo.

Mayor Pete Saenz told KGNS News that city lawyers have submitted a request for temporary restraining order keeping DHS from continuing to send bus loads of migrants to shelters here in Laredo.

The TRO comes on the heels of a request from city officials to federal representatives asking for a three day pause in bus transports.

Mayor Saenz says despite that request, migrants are still being sent to local non-profit shelters.

His concern is that with the growing number of COVID-19 cases among that population, local resources could be overwhelmed, affecting the community at large.

“There’s so much pressure to handle these migrants, I think they’re doing the best they can, but again I go to your question... why not send them further north to a community that’s better prepared and equipped to handle all aspects operational aspects of these migrants? We can handle whatever we can handle through the NGO’s.”

Mayor Saenz added that the TRO does not affect anything having to do with the tent facility discussed for LIFE Downs.

He says he hopes a judge will grant the request giving city officials time to sit down with federal representatives to work on a possible agreement.

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