PECOS, Texas — Another migrant facility is opening in West Texas, this time in Pecos.
Sources from the City of Pecos tell us the facility will house 500 unaccompanied migrants, with the ability to hold up to 2,000.
Oscar Ornelas, the Pecos Community engagement specialist, told NewWest 9 the city was made aware of the migrants a few days ago. HHS told the city of Pecos migrant families were going to be housed in Reeves Co. As of Saturday morning, plans changed and the facility will only hold unaccompanied migrant children.
In an interview with Fox News on Saturday, Rep. Tony Gonzalez said, “I got notified about an hour ago from HHS that they’re opening up a new unaccompanied minor facility in Pecos, which is in my district, out in West Texas.”
In a press release, Gov. Gregg Abbott said, “The Biden Administration continues to show that it is dangerously unprepared to handle the surge in illegal border crossings as they rush to open yet another facility for unaccompanied minors in Texas."
The federal government announced it would no longer transport migrants to the Midland facility due to many migrants testing positive for COVID-19.
This is the fourth migrant holding facility to open in Texas in the past week.
In a statement to the press Gov. Abbott said:
“As this humanitarian crisis grows along our southern border, the Biden Administration continues to dodge questions that Texans are demanding answers for: Is the federal government tracking what countries these children are coming from and what COVID-19 variants they might have been exposed to,” Abbott said. “How long will these children be held in Texas? The Biden Administration’s refusal to secure our border, investigate the origins and potential trafficking of unaccompanied minors, and protect these vulnerable children will only worsen the situation and put innocent lives at risk. President Biden must act now to end this crisis.”
NewsWest will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.