Many migrants staying in US even as expulsion flights rise

Migrants, many from Haiti, are seen at an encampment along the Del Rio International Bridge near the Rio Grande, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. The options remaining for thousands of Haitian migrants straddling the Mexico-Texas border are narrowing as the United States government ramps up to an expected six expulsion flights to Haiti and Mexico began busing some away from the border.

Migrants, many from Haiti, wait to board a bus to Houston at a humanitarian center after they were released from United States Border Patrol upon crossing the Rio Grande and turning themselves in seeking asylum, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas.

Migrants, many from Haiti, board a bus after they were processed and released after spending time at a makeshift camp near the International Bridge, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped at Texas border town back to their homeland and trying to block others from crossing the border from Mexico.

Migrants, many from Haiti, wade across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, to avoid deportation from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

A migrant from Haiti bathes in the Rio Grande near the international bridge that connect the cities of Del Rio, Texas, and Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021. The options remaining for thousands of Haitian migrants straddling the Mexico-Texas border are narrowing as the United States government ramps up to an expected six expulsion flights to Haiti, and Mexico began busing some away from the border.

Migrants, many from Haiti, board a bus after they were processed and released after spending time at a makeshift camp near the International Bridge, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped at Texas border town back to their homeland and trying to block others from crossing the border from Mexico.

A Texas Department of Safety official stands near an armor vehicle along the Rio Grande, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

Migrants sit seen inside a Mexican Immigration vehicle in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021. The options remaining for thousands of Haitian migrants straddling the Mexico-Texas border are narrowing as the United States government ramps up to an expected six expulsion flights to Haiti, and Mexico began busing some away from the border.

Haitian migrants rest at an encampment at a sports park in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021. U.S. authorities have moved to expel many of the migrants who were camped around a bridge in Del Rio, Texas, after crossing from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico. Officials are also trying to to block others from crossing the border from Mexico.

Migrants, most from Haiti, scramble over cardboard boxes distributed by volunteers and that will be used as beds at an improvised refugee shelter in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021. The options remaining for thousands of Haitian migrants straddling the Mexico-Texas border are narrowing as the United States government ramps up to an expected six expulsion flights to Haiti, and Mexico began busing some away from the border.

Mexican army soldiers patrol the street in Ciudad Acuña, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021. The options remaining for thousands of Haitian migrants straddling the Mexico-Texas border are narrowing as the United States government ramps up to an expected six expulsion flights to Haiti Tuesday and Mexico began busing some away from the border.

Haitian migrants wade across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, to avoid deportation to Haiti from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico in a massive show of force that signals the beginning of what could be one of America's swiftest, large-scale expulsions of migrants or refugees in decades.

Drone footage shows Haitian migrants crossing a river which separates Mexico and the US as officials from both nations worked to move them away from the border.

Texas Department of Safety vehicles line up along the bank of the Rio Grande near an encampment of migrants, many from Haiti, near the Del Rio International Bridge, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

Migrants, many from Haiti, are seen in a pen area waiting to load onto buses near the Rio Grande, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. U.S. officials say many Haitian migrants camped in the small Texas border town are being released in the United States, undercutting the Biden administration’s public statements that Haitians who enter the country illegally face immediate expulsion.

Migrants, many from Haiti, wade across the Rio Grande river to leave Del Rio, Texas, and return to Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, early Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, some to avoid possible deportation from the U.S. and others to load up with supplies.

Haitians deported from the United States leave Toussaint Louverture International Airport under a rain shower in Port au Prince, Haiti, Sunday, Sep. 19, 2021. Thousands of Haitian migrants have been arriving to Del Rio, Texas, to ask for asylum in the U.S., as authorities begin to deported them to back to Haiti.

Migrants, many from Haiti, are seen at an encampment along the Del Rio International Bridge near the Rio Grande, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

A National Guardsman stands at a gate along a border fence as a bus used to transport migrants, mostly from Haiti, departs from a makeshift camp that has developed at the International Bridge, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped at Texas border town back to their homeland and trying to block others from crossing the border from Mexico.

Haitian migrant Occeant Jesula bottle feeds her one-year-old son Jhony, at the Jesus Esta Vivo shelter in Danli, Honduras, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021.

A Haitian migrant, hoping to reach the U.S.-Mexico border, spends one-on-one time with a child at the Jesus Esta Vivo shelter in Danli, Honduras, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021.

A migrant from Honduras wades across the Rio Grande river to leave Del Rio, Texas and return to Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, early Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, to avoid possible deportation from the U.S.

A man carries a boy over the Rio Grande river as migrants, many from Haiti, leave Del Rio, Texas to return to Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, early Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, some to avoid possible deportation from the U.S. and others to load up on supplies.

A migrants pushes an inner tube across the Rio Grande river as migrants, many from Haiti, leave Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, early Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, some to avoid possible deportation from the U.S. and others to pick up supplies.

The Biden Administration is using a pandemic-related authority adopted by former President Donald Trump in March 2020 to immediately remove Haitian migrants from the U.S. without an opportunity for them to seek asylum.

White House Press Secretary says the situation along the southern border is challenging, but defended the administration's immigration policy.

Migrants are released from United States Border Patrol custody at a humanitarian center, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas.

A young child sleeps on a migrant's shoulder after being released from United States Border Patrol custody at a humanitarian center, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas.

A hotel room is left damaged after an operation to detain migrants, many from Haiti, at this hotel at dawn in Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, near the Texas, U.S. border.

Migrants, many from Haiti, are seen at an encampment along the Del Rio International Bridge, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas.

A father carries his daughter over the Rio Grande river toward Del Rio, Texas, from Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, early Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, as migrants, many from Haiti, go back and forth across the border.

Migrants, many from Haiti, wade back and forth between Texas and Mexico across the Rio Grande, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas.

Migrants, mostly from Haiti, wait for a bus after they were processed and released after spending time at a makeshift camp near the International Bridge, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. President Joe Biden's administration is nearing a final plan to expel many of the thousands of Haitian migrants who have suddenly crossed into a Texas border city from Mexico and to fly them back to their Caribbean homeland.

A line of Texas Department of Safety vehicles lines the bank of the Rio Grande near an encampment of migrants, many from Haiti, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas.

Migrants, many from Haiti, are seen at an encampment along the Del Rio International Bridge near the Rio Grande, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

Official vehicles are line up along the bank of the Rio Grande as migrants, many from Haiti, wade between the U.S. and Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. The options remaining for thousands of Haitian migrants straddling the Mexico-Texas border are narrowing as the United States government ramps up to an expected six expulsion flights to Haiti and Mexico began busing some away from the border.

Men lift a baby over the waters of the Rio Grande river as migrants, many from Haiti, wade across the from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, to avoid deportation from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico in a massive show of force.

The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and trying to block others from crossing the border from Mexico.

Migrants, many from Haiti, wade across the Rio Grande river from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, to avoid deportation from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection mounted officers attempt to contain migrants as they cross the Rio Grande from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, into Del Rio, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. Thousands of Haitian migrants have been arriving to Del Rio, Texas, as authorities attempt to close the border to stop the flow of migrants.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection mounted officers attempt to contain migrants as they cross the Rio Grande from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, into Del Rio, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. Thousands of Haitian migrants have been arriving to Del Rio, Texas, as authorities attempt to close the border to stop the flow of migrants.

Migrants, many from Haiti, wade across the Rio Grande river from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, to avoid deportation from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

A little girl holds her stuffed animal high above the water as migrants, many from Haiti, wade across the Rio Grande river from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, to avoid deportation. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

Migrants, many from Haiti, wade across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, to avoid deportation from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

Migrants, many from Haiti, wade across the Rio Grande river from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, to avoid deportation from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

Haitian migrants wade across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, to avoid deportation to Haiti from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico in a massive show of force that signals the beginning of what could be one of America's swiftest, large-scale expulsions of migrants or refugees in decades.

A migrant from Haiti is detained by Mexican immigration officers in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021.

Haitian migrants seeking to escape poverty, hunger and a feeling of hopelessness in their home country said they will not be deterred by U.S. plans to speedily send them back, as thousands of people remained encamped on the Texas border Saturday after crossing from Mexico.

Migrants from Haiti are detained by Mexico immigration officers in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021. The options remaining for thousands of Haitian migrants straddling the Mexico-Texas border are narrowing as the United States government ramps up to an expected six expulsion flights to Haiti Tuesday and Mexico began busing some away from the border.

Migrants, many from Haiti, are seen wading between the U.S. and Mexico on the Rio Grande, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. The options remaining for thousands of Haitian migrants straddling the Mexico-Texas border are narrowing as the United States government ramps up to an expected six expulsion flights to Haiti and Mexico began busing some away from the border.

Buses, top, arrive to pick up migrants, mostly from Haiti, at an encampment along the Del Rio International Bridge, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. U.S. officials say many Haitian migrants camped in the small Texas border town are being released in the United States, undercutting the Biden administration’s public statements that Haitians who enter the country illegally face immediate expulsion.

A Haitian migrant wades across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, to avoid deportation from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

New drone video shows thousands of Haitian migrants straddling the Mexico-Texas border. Tents can be seen crowded together. Some people carrying belongings are wading across the Rio Grande, some on their way to Texas and others back to Mexico.

Migrants, many from Haiti, wade across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, late Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, to avoid deportation to Haiti from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico in a massive show of force that signals the beginning of what could be one of America's swiftest, large-scale expulsions of migrants or refugees in decades.

Migrants, many from Haiti, are seen at an encampment along the Del Rio International Bridge near the Rio Grande, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. The options remaining for thousands of Haitian migrants straddling the Mexico-Texas border are narrowing as the United States government ramps up to an expected six expulsion flights to Haiti and Mexico began busing some away from the border.

Migrants from Haiti line up to receive clothes from Mexican volunteers at an improvised refugee shelter in Ciudad Acuña, Tuesday, Sept. 2021. The options remaining for thousands of Haitian migrants straddling the Mexico-Texas border are narrowing as the United States government ramps up to an expected six expulsion flights to Haiti, and Mexico began busing some away from the border.

Migrants, many from Haiti, wade back and forth between Texas and Mexico across the Rio Grande, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. U.S. officials say many Haitian migrants camped in the small Texas border town are being released in the United States, undercutting the Biden administration’s public statements that Haitians who enter the country illegally face immediate expulsion.

A line of Texas Department of Safety vehicles line up on the Texas side of the Rio Grande with Mexico visible, right, near an encampment of migrants, many from Haiti, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. U.S. officials say many Haitian migrants camped in the small Texas border town are being released in the United States, undercutting the Biden administration’s public statements that Haitians who enter the country illegally face immediate expulsion.

Migrants, many from Haiti, are loaded onto a bus near an encampment along the Del Rio International Bridge, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas.

Migrants, many from Haiti, cross the Rio Grande from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, to avoid deportation from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

Migrants, many from Haiti, wade across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, to avoid deportation from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

Official vehicles line up along the bank of the Rio Grande near an encampment of migrants, many from Haiti, near the Del Rio International Bridge, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

Migrants, many from Haiti, wade across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, to avoid deportation from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico.

More than 6,000 Haitians and other migrants have been removed from an encampment in a Texas border town, according to U.S. officials. While many are facing deportation and being sent to detention centers, some are beginning new lives in the United States.

Migrants find an alternate place to cross between Mexico and the United States after access to a dam was closed, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico. U.S. officials said that within the next few days, they plan to ramp up expulsion flights for some of the thousands of Haitian migrants who have gathered in the Texas city from across the border in Mexico.

A little boy who was deported from the U.S. border with Mexico gets tested for COVID-19 at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland.

Haitians who were deported from the U.S. border with Mexico are attended by members of the IOM UN Migration organization before they get tested for COVID-19 at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland.

A migrant from Haiti is detained by Mexican immigration officers from a hotel at dawn in Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, near the Texas, U.S, border.

Many Haitian migrants camped in a small Texas border town are being released in the United States, two U.S. officials said, undercutting the Biden administration's public statements that the thousands in the camp faced immediate expulsion