Haitian and Central American migrants march to the Siglo XXI Migratory Station in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, aiming to travel to the United States.
Haitian and Central American migrants march to the Siglo XXI Migratory Station in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, aiming to travel to the United States.

Over 10,000 migrants, mostly of Haitian descent, are packed under an overpass in Del Rio, Texas after venturing to the border from South America, according to two Department of Homeland Security officials.

The number has more than doubled since Wednesday with the total number growing from 5,000 to 10,503, according to Del Rio Mayor Bruno Lozano.

The migrants have been living in a makeshift processing center under the bridge and are being given emergency supplies such as towels, water, baby formula, and portable toilets. The migrants are being processed and taken into custody by Customs and Border Protection. CBP has not been testing the migrants for COVID-19 unless they show symptoms.

"The Border Patrol is increasing its manpower in the Del Rio Sector and coordinating efforts within DHS and other relevant federal, state and local partners to immediately address the current level of migrant encounters and to facilitate a safe, humane and orderly process," CBP said in a statement. "To prevent injuries from heat-related illness, the shaded area underneath Del Rio International Bridge is serving as a temporary staging site while migrants wait to be taken into USBP custody."

“We're scrambling to bring everyone the resources we can, but it’s a logistical nightmare,” said Joe Anfinsen, the top border patrol union official told the Washington Post. “We’re pulling agents from across the country to help, but they’re not going to be there today, and we’re just trying to keep heads above water,” Anfinsen added.

President Biden has granted Temporary Protection Status for the migrants in Del Rio.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R- Texas., has called the recent influx a “man-made crisis.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott criticized Biden saying "Six hours after U.S. Customs and Border Protection requested help from Texas to close ports of entry and secure the border, the Biden Administration has now flip-flopped to a different strategy that abandons border security and instead makes it easier for people to cross illegally and for cartels to exploit the border."

CBP made over 208,000 apprehensions at the border in August, marking an increase of about 4,000, according to federal data.