Texas border city El Paso opens shelter for migrants as massive migrant caravan anticipated to cross US-Mexico border in coming weeks

As a massive migrant caravan moves through Mexico toward the U.S., officials in a border city open an emergency shelter to house asylum seekers.

Into an empty high school El Paso, Texas, which has become a refuge for migrants, opened Friday and can accommodate hundreds, city officials announced.

“As the migrant crisis continues to unfold, we cannot forget that our humanity is being tested in the way we care for the vulnerable,” said Mayor Oscar Leeser.

The West Texas city has become a popular border crossing location for migrants.

Additionally, Texas' sixth-largest city also serves as a decompression center when migrants entering the U.S. in other parts of the border overwhelm those areas. Currently, a caravan of migrants is heading towards the southern border, with thousands of migrants pouring into the US every day.

The school-turned-shelter has a capacity for hundreds of migrants

A migrant caravan, 6,000 to 8,000 strong, is currently making its way through southern Mexico on its way to the US.

Currently, the U.S. Border Patrol is transferring migrants who entered the country illegally in Lukeville, Arizona and Eagle Pass, Texas, to El Paso.

Once in West Texas, the migrants undergo a screening and vetting process called “processing.”

Migrants seeking asylum in the US will often plead their case during this period. Those who pass security clearance are released to the US to await trial – often years later.

Once released by immigration officials, migrants who have the means to travel will take buses or planes out of the city, but those who don't have the money to leave El Paso will end up in the city's migrant shelters run by charities, which are currently overcrowded.

“The city has had no street releases to date and has deployed hotels in recent weeks to support local NGOs,” officials explained.

Migrants wade through the waters of the Rio Grande, the river that separates the US from Mexico near Eagle Pass, Texas

El Paso city officials worked with state officials to transport more than 17,000 migrants from the West Texas city

El Paso shelter opens to keep migrants off the streets of West El Paso. Both locals and officials have previously stated that their main goal is not for migrants to sleep outdoors and in public spaces

El Paso leaders in recent weeks have turned to renting out hotel rooms to keep migrants off the streets — the worst-case scenario for locals.

Several weeks ago, the city warned it would open a city-run shelter at Morehead Middle School if hotel space became scarce.

For weeks, the city has kept afloat by busing migrants from El Paso to New York, Denver, Chicago and Philadelphia.

On Tuesday, state officials flew their first planeload of migrants from El Paso and landed in Chicago with 91 migrants on board.

According to city figures, 17,531 migrants have been sent from El Paso to other U.S. cities in recent months.

Migrants line up in El Paso on Tuesday to board planes to Chicago

Tuesday marks the first time the governor of Texas has used planes to transport the migrants. The cost of the flight to Texas taxpayers was not disclosed

In addition, the border town is staring down the barrel of potentially thousands of migrants heading as part of a caravan push through southern Mexico.

It is unknown when the caravan, estimated at between 6,000 and 8,000, will arrive at the U.S. southern border, but border officials believe they will arrive in the coming weeks.

“We know they're coming, but we just don't know how it's going to split,” a Border Patrol official told DailyMail.com on condition of anonymity.

U.S. immigration officials believe it is possible the group could split up as it moves through Mexico.

'Chances are you won't see the entire caravan crossing in the same place. Some might head to Eagle Pass, while others might end up in El Paso. It just depends.'

Even 1,000 migrants crossing the border at one U.S. border crossing location can overwhelm local resources.

“That's why it's a good idea that El Paso is ready; no one knows what awaits them,” he said.