JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- The Mexican government, through the National Institute of Migration (INM), announced last weekend the launch of an Emerging Safe Mobility Corridor to assist and transport foreign persons who have a CBP One appointment.

This project aims to ensure the safety of migrants who decide to travel by land to the point of entry picked for their appointment along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The National Institute of Migration (INM) said they will give priority to family units in Mexico for them to travel together.

INM will establish two departure locations, located at the Immigration Station in Villahermosa, Tabasco, and at the Immigration Regulation office in the Southern Zone in Tapachula, Chiapas; both in Southern Mexico.

According to a news release, INM will grant a Multiple Immigration Form (FMM) valid for 20 days for those migrants with a confirmed CBP One appointment.

Those who choose to travel to the scheduled place for their appointment through the Emerging Safe Mobility Corridor will allow them to have a regular stay status in Mexico during their journey.

"In a joint security effort, the buses that are enabled to carry out the transfer will be accompanied by security institutions at the federal, state, and municipal levels; in addition, food will be provided during the corresponding trips," INM said in a statement.

According to Mexican officials, up to date, 300 people who have requested their CBP One appointment in Tabasco and Chiapas received a response from the U.S. government to their request within a few days.

Officials in Mexico say they want to work in institutional coordination to have a safe, regular, orderly, and humane migration across the country.

This might bring a rise in capacity at local shelters in Juarez if migrants choose El Paso for their CBP One appointments.

According to the city's Director of Human Rights in Juárez, currently, the city shelters are at 30% capacity and they will work and coordinate with the federal government to house migrants.

The director of the federal government shelter in Juárez also said, they are currently at 60% capacity and that has been the number this year.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Juárez, Chihuahua, and Mexican authorities responded to reports of a train derailment Tuesday night.

According to a statement sent by the City of Juárez, personnel from the Civil Protection Department responded to a call at 11:01 p.m. last night.

"The train derailment happened at kilometer 302 of the Juárez-Chihuahua highway, between Villa Ahumada and Samalayuca," said Sergio Rodríguez, Director of Juárez Civil Protection.

Officials reported that in this incident left 13 train cars overturned, of which five were transporting sulfuric acid.

A leak was detected in one of these tanks with a capacity of approximately 53,000 liters, identified with the number 1830. The leak was provisionally controlled using a wooden stake.

Rodriguez also said a tank car transporting chlorine gas suffered structural damage, although no leaks of this chemical were reported.

The director of Civil Protection added that during the search efforts in the area, it was reported that several migrants were traveling on top of the train.

After a pedestrian search, they located four people, to whom pre-hospital care was provided.

Local and federal reports said the injured people are:

• A woman originally from Venezuela, with a right foot amputation and hip pain. She was transferred to the General Hospital
• A 17-year-old male was also transported to the General Hospital
• A 7-year-old boy had direct trauma in the head; he was turned over to the National Migration Institute along with his dad

Rodríguez said that members of the Fire Department, the Municipal Rescue Department, the Red Cross, URGE, Chihuahua State Police, Chihuahua Attorney General's Office, as well as the National Migration Institute, the National Guard, participated in the operation, and Ferromex which oversees all cargo trains in Mexico.

Authorities continue with the investigations to determine the causes of the derailment and ensure that no more people are affected.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Family members, friends, classmates, and Juarez residents gathered to say a final goodbye to 15-year-old Juárez resident Rafael Rodríguez, who died over the weekend.

Rafita, as Rodríguez was affectionately known, was swept away by the torrential rains that hit the Borderland on Friday. His family members conducted the funeral services at Funerales "Ríos" in South Juárez starting last night.

In front of his school, CONALEP II, some of his classmates put up letters, signs, and white balloons to remember the late student. The classroom chair that he used to sit at also featured candles and some of his favorite snacks.

According to local media outlets, part of the cost of the funeral arraignments was covered by the State Commission for Victim Assistance of the Chihuahua Attorney General's Office (FGE).

Rafita's family asked the media for respect and space while they mourn.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- The Juárez Civil Protection Department in coordination with the Fire and the Rescue Departments carried out the search and tracking of a missing minor on Tapioca Street, who was swept away by the current during the torrential rains of August 30, at approximately 9:00 p.m.

The city provided ABC-7 with the following timeline of events;

• "August 31, 07:00 hours: A team of 20 elements continues the search for the minor, using three boats, pikes, hooks, ropes, and a motor pump to drain a well and access the dam.
• August 31, 12:15 hours: A cell phone is located in the search area. However, when it is presented to the relatives, it is ruled out that it belongs to the missing minor.
• August 31, 16:30 hours: A gray backpack is found floating in the water. After reviewing its contents, which include notebooks, books and school supplies with the name Rafael Rodríguez Hernández, the minor's family is notified, who confirm that the backpack belonged to him.
• August 31, 6:30 p.m.: Juárez Mayor Cruz Pérez Cuéllar arrives at the site to speak with the boy's family and gives instructions that the work continues without ceasing, working day and night.
• August 31, 7:00 p.m.: One hundred elements of the Municipal Public Security Secretariat (SSPM) join the search efforts, using drones and two jet skis. In addition, State Civil Protection personnel join the operation, providing a boat to support the work.
• August 31, 7:30 p.m.: The Municipal Water and Sanitation Board (JMAS) installs two high-flow suction pumps and one low-flow pump to help drain the dam.
• August 31, 8:00 p.m.: Volunteers from the Zorros del Desierto and Fire Rescue groups join the search operation.
• September 1, 7:00 a.m.: Mayor Cruz Pérez Cuéllar returns to the site to supervise the search and deliver a message to the citizens.
• September 1, 8:30 a.m.: The body of the minor is located. After the recovery of the body, it is handed over to the Chihuahua Attorney General's Office concluding the operation."

The city of Juárez also said in a statement:

"Since the beginning of the operations, the search work did not stop until certainty was achieved regarding the location or recovery of the minor's body. In addition, at the request of the relatives, they were allowed to be present throughout the entire operation process."

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIa) -- Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said during a news conference he will "pause" the relations Mexico has with the U.S. and Canada Embassies after their ambassadors criticized his proposal to have judges elected by popular vote.

According to CNN, López Obrador announced the move during his daily press conference on Tuesday, saying the “pause” is with the embassies and not the countries. He said relations will be reestablished once the diplomats are “respectful of the independence of Mexico, of the sovereignty of our country.”

AMLO's proposal for judicial reform is part of a series of constitutional changes he has sought since he got in office.

These changes have to be approved, this week a congressional committee approved this proposal and now it requires two-thirds approval in both chambers of the Mexican Congress.

US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said last Thursday on social media that he believes a “popular direct election of judges is a major risk to the functioning of Mexico’s democracy.” Salazar stressed that judicial reforms should ensure the judiciary would be strengthened and not “subject to the corruption of politics.”

ABC-7 has reached out to local political experts to learn how this decision could impact the relationships between the three countries.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- U.S. and Mexican authorities announced during a news conference today the arrest of multiple wanted criminals due to information provided through the Se Busca Información tip-line. The authorities also unveiled five new targets wanted along the U.S./Mexico border.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Marshals, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the City of Juárez and the Chihuahua Attorney General's Office, and other binational agencies attended the presser.

This initiative was first announced five years ago. It combines authorities in the U.S. and Mexico to identify the most wanted criminals and ask the public for any information to get them into custody.

Anyone with information about any suspects could inform authorities through phone or WhatsApp at (915) 314-8194.

Currently, the 10 most wanted suspects are the following:

• EP 1. Emeterio Sifuentes Ortegas “Oso”, illegal possession of a firearm, kidnapping
• EP 2. Jorge Rodríguez Luján “Kory”, possession/distribution of narcotics and attempted aggravated homicide
• EP 3. Leonel Salas Favela “El Sobrino”, aggravated kidnapping
• EP 4. Manuel Galindo Moncayo “Chivis” “El Profe”, aggravated homicide, aggravated kidnapping, and aggravated homicide of a male
• EP 5. Daniel Herrera Rodríguez “El Palito” “Dany”, torture, possession/distribution of narcotics
• EP 6. Ángel Daniel Perales Herrera “El Perales”, aggravated homicide
• EP 7. Michel Eduardo Gómez Lazarín “Cirujano”, aggravated homicide, aggravated kidnapping
• EP 8. Armando Maldonado Lozoya “Chivo”, homicide
• EP 9. Miguel Ángel Lares Mendoza “El Lares”, possession/distribution of narcotics, homicide
• EP 10. Alberto Mariscal, sexual assault of a child

Binational authorities keep inviting members of the community to tip them or report any suspicion that leads to the whereabouts of these fugitives.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Today marks eight years since El Divo de Juárez died. Juan Gabriel died on August 28, 2016, in Santa Monica California; he was 66 years old.

Juanga, as he was affectionately nicknamed, suffered from hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol, diseases that experts say ended up contributing to his heart attack on the day of his passing.

He was set to perform in El Paso days after his death, concerts that fans didn't have the chance to experience.

Today, on the eighth anniversary of his death, as part of the Juárez Juangabrielísimo festival, the City of Juárez along with the Juan Gabriel Museum, will hold a mass at the San Lorenzo Sanctuary at 1 p.m. to remember him.

This is part of the 10-day celebrations planned during Juan Gabriel week.

ABC-7 will attend the mass and bring you the events' sights and sounds in later newscasts.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The El Paso Processing Center (EPC) is part of the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations, El Paso Field Office. It is a facility located right next to the El Paso International Airport.

The EPC's original buildings were constructed in 1966, with modernized processing (intake/release), dining, medical, and laundry facilities built between 1966 and 1998, and other modernizations set to start later this year until the start of Fiscal Year 2026.

This Processing Center can house up to 840 individuals made up of both adult male and female ICE detainees.

Detainees are housed at the EPC upon pending removal proceedings before an immigration judge, are pending an asylum screening/interview by an U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer, or are pending removal coordination to their country of citizenship.

"So nationwide, the asylum cases that are approved are probably a little less than 10%, nationwide asylum cases that are denied are more like 90%. Unfortunately, most of the individuals that are seeking asylum will not be granted asylum," said the Director of the El Paso Field Office for ICE Mary De Anda-Ybarra.

Director De Anda-Ybarra also said, most of the individuals that are going into their custody are for economic reasons. That's why of of their asylum requests are denied.

ICE has had individuals with proper documentation before processing, but others will use aliases and federal authorities are not aware of that until it's time to remove them.

The El Paso Field Office does not have families in any of its four processing centers anymore.

"We also have commercial removals. Besides having diplomatic relations with Mexico to be able to return them here through the land border, we also are working right now for interior repatriation."

"The Otero Processing Center has one flight that leaves every Tuesday to be able to repatriate individuals who are from the interior of Mexico back into the interior."

Director De Anda-Ybarra also said each country has to accept their deportees back into the country. This means individuals need to either issue a passport or a valid travel document before being turned over.

The average number of days an individual stays at the EPC is about 66 days if they are noncriminals. If they are criminals that ICE chooses to keep in custody, they keep them longer; it could be up to a year or more sometimes.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Juan Gabriel's museum at his former home started receiving visitors over the weekend.

As part of the pre-opening, with the official opening set to happen next week, museum officials started receiving media outlets and some residents to the museum.

With immersive images and sounds, as well as a personalized tour of every corner of what was his home in Ciudad Juárez, the museum is presented not only as a tribute to his musical legacy but also as a new space for cultural meeting and a strong tourist attraction for Mexico, staff of the museum said in a statement.

The museum is aiming to provide personalized attention to each guest, which is why visits are in groups of a maximum of 15 people, and each tour lasts 120 minutes.

"We are excited to welcome fans to this project that has been in development for more than 20 years since the first idea was presented to Don Alberto in 2005. He was always enthusiastic about the idea of ​​creating a museum in his home in Ciudad Juárez," said Felipe Rojas, director of the Juan Gabriel Museum.

"From the beginning, we wanted this to be a different museum because Juan Gabriel is a unique artist, and Ciudad Juárez is a special frontier," Rojas added. "His museum could not be anything other than a meeting place for all fans, both from Mexico and the United States. abroad and we worked together with Don Alberto for several years to define what he wanted to leave in this museum."

Tickets can be purchased free of charge for one week, from August 25 to September 1 on the Museum's official website at museojuangabriel.mx.

The space is suitable for the whole family and visitors over 12 years of age must obtain their own ticket.

The Juan Gabriel Museum invites fans and visitors to download the free Mobile App called "Museo Juan Gabriel", where people can find “Tutorial” (the step by step to learn how to use the App), “Show tour” (Takes your cell phone close to Juan Gabriel's photograph of the outside of the house and discover great surprises); “Rockola, (listen to your favorite Juan Gabriel songs in the Museum gardens) and much more! On the Show Tour, the lighting conditions determine the optimal functioning of the experience.

Phones are allowed inside, however, museum staff will put them inside a plastic bag that blocks both cameras on your cell phone to prevent anyone from taking pictures or videos inside the museum.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Ciudad Juárez and the Borderland are ready to start the celebrations in honor of the eighth anniversary of Juan Gabriel's death on Aug. 28.

In a 10-day multicultural festival, Juárez authorities plan to remember "Juanga" with parades, concerts, memorials, and marathons, among other events.

Celebrations will start tonight outside Juan Gabriel's house in Downtown Juárez with a Protocolo de reapertura, or reopening ceremony, at his museum.

Residents and visitors are expected to fill up the streets around Juan Gabriel's house for these celebrations.

Juárez authorities and officials have previously said the goal of this festival is to attract more people from outside Juarez who love Juan Gabriel and his music. Tourism plays an important role here too, as outsiders are expected to visit the city for the celebrations.

Juan Gabriel passed away in Santa Monica, California on August 28, 2016.

The City of Juárez has previously announced big operations conducted by the Juárez Secretariat of Public Safety and Road Safety Coordination to prevent any incidents or events during the festivities.

Juárez Juangabrielísimo is expected to finish on Sept. 1 at the Red X close to the Bridge of the Americas with a concert by famous Mexican singer Edith Marquez.

If you want to attend any planned events, you can check them here.

'Museo de Juan Gabriel is expected to open on Saturday, August 24 and the information you need to attend the event is also here.

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Update (September 5, 2024): The balloon arrived at the U.S. Border Patrol Santa Teresa Station. U.S. CBP and Border Patrol El Paso Sector confirmed the aerostat will be deployed this month.

SANTA TERESA, New Mexico (KVIA) -- U.S. Customs Border Protection El Paso Sector is planning to deploy an aerostatic balloon just west of the Santa Teresa Port of Entry in September 2024 to monitor the area of the U.S.-Mexico border in that zone.

This area is part of the Santa Teresa, New Mexico Border Patrol Station area of operation, which has the largest number of migrant encounters in the El Paso Sector.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations (AMO) uses the Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) to provide long-range detection of low-altitude aircraft at the radar’s maximum range. The elevated sensor mitigates the curvature of the earth and terrain masking limitations.

According to a spokesman with U.S. CBP El Paso Field Office, this area also has a significant number of human smuggling-related deaths and rescues as the area’s harsh desert conditions and remote terrain present a dangerous risk to migrants who are often abandoned in the area by criminal smugglers.

In a statement sent to ABC-7, U.S. CBP said:

"The Tactical Aerostat Program (TAS) is an aerostat-borne surveillance capability which provides land domain awareness and persistent surveillance along the United States-Mexico border. The TAS Program consists of lighter-than-air aerostats. The aerostat systems feature multiple sensor types, including electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR)."

ABC-7 also contacted U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector to learn the current numbers recorded in our border area.

A spokesperson with Border Patrol said El Paso Sector has seen 230,336 migrant encounters this FY24 through July, representing a 36% reduction compared to this same time last year (364,089). Most of the migrant encounters take place in the Santa Teresa, New Mexico area.

El Paso Sector has recorded 927 rescues and 168 deaths.

U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez also commented on the aerostat deployment saying:

"This technology is not only meant to increase Border Patrol's situational awareness and ability to apprehend folks that are crossing the border illegally, it also enables them to save lives, and we can do that effectively with the implementation of smart technology, including the aerostat, which should come online next month, right here at the Santa Teresa border patrol station. That along with other technology that we really need to fund, will prevent those types of deaths that we're seeing in Dona Ana County. Technology is just one part of that solution."

According to his office, Rep. Vasquez wrote a letter last fall asking CBP to deploy tactical aerostats in the El Paso sector, because he is supportive of this technology to reduce the number of migrant deaths and rescues in our sector.

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SUNLAND PARK, New Mexico (KVIA) -- U.S. Representative for New Mexico's 2nd District Gabe Vasquez hosted a binational meeting along with Juárez Mayor Cruz Pérez Cuéllar, Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea, and other local and federal officials.

They met at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.

The meeting was to discuss current binational trade, economic opportunities, and issues related to immigration, among other topics.

Border communities like Sunland Park and Juárez want to keep working together to have economic development on both sides of the border.

"We want to get some commitments from the government, both the municipal government of Ciudad Juárez and also the state government of Chihuahua. As the US invests in infrastructure on our side of the border, that we will have that infrastructure matched on the Mexican side," said Rep. Vasquez.

"We want to talk about the evolving process of asylum-seeking, legislation, and policy so that we can make sure that as folks come into the border area and that we have systems set up for asylum seekers, that they are both safe, that they are not being preyed on by the cartels, and that folks are being held accountable on both sides of the border, as they make their journey to the United States," Rep. Vasquez added.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso City Council selected Dionne Mack as the next city manager after a lengthy closed-door meeting.

In a 6-2 vote, Mack becomes the new City Manager taking over for Interim City Manager Cary Westin who's been in place for over a year.

Selected City Manager Mack has worked for the city of El Paso for 14 years, she was the Deputy City Manager for Quality of Life.

Today, the City Council discussed Mack's appointment during the executive session. Council members went into executive session for nearly six hours and took "no" action.

Neither the selection process nor candidate interviews have been discussed or presented during regular sessions.

"So my goal is just to be as helpful as I can to assist with some of the things that maybe she didn't have purview over, that I can be helpful going forward, as she assumes a new role on the 3rd of September," said Interim City Manager Cary Westin.

Westin also told ABC-7 that he would stay for now to effect a good transition for continuity.

"I was very happy that the city council actually selected, local candidates. I think it sends a strong message to the community that we do have the talent here within the city, that we have people really do understand the culture and understand the needs of our community," Westin added.

No final details on Mack's contract, compensations, or benefits have been released by the city yet.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- ABC-7 obtained the interviews of the four finalists for City Manager through an open records request.

Baker Tilly conducted interviews, the search firm the city hired for $42,000.

The City of El Paso released the videos above of the four candidates for El Paso's next city manager.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Mexican drug lord Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada's case could be moved to Brooklyn after U.S. prosecutors presented a formal request to move the case from Texas to New York.

"El Mayo" was arrested on July 25 along with the son of "El Chapo", Joaquín Guzmán López at the Doña Ana County Jetport in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

According to the federal court records, Federal prosecutors in Texas asked a court yesterday to hold a hearing to take the necessary procedural steps to transfer him to the New York jurisdiction that includes Brooklyn, where “El Chapo” was found guilty in 2019 on charges of drug trafficking and conspiracy and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Mexican Officials and the country's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador have said recently they requested the flight information from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding the route the plane where Zambada and Guzmán López took when they traveled from Mexico to the U.S.

They requested the aircraft's serial number, FAA records, passenger information, and customs and border authorization documents.

Zambada has appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas El Paso Division two times since his arrest. He has pleaded not guilty to several charges including drug trafficking and other charges.

U.S. Federal prosecutors in Texas submitted a plaintiff on Thursday to hold a hearing to take the procedural steps needed to move him to the Eastern District of New York.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza and Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio Franco Jr. forwarded a copy of the plaintiff to "El Mayo's" lawyers Frank Perez and Ray Velarde.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Dozens of migrants and staff at both the Kiki Romero and Leona Vicario migrant shelters gathered at the Estadio 20 de Noviembre in Ciudad Juárez for the second edition of the Copa América Migrante, or Migrant America Cup.

Representing eight countries, they gathered to enjoy one of their favorite sports: soccer.

Juarez Human Rights Department Director Santiago González Reyes said the event is exciting because this is the only sporting tournament in the world designed for the participation of migrants.

ABC-7 was at the tournament and spoke with some of the migrants, who said they were excited to play fútbol in Juárez.

Some migrants had just arrived at the border in recent days, excited to participate before continuing towards the United States.

The countries represented by the migrants were Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia, and Ecuador.

In a series of games, the tournament's winner is set to be crowned this afternoon.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, and Immigration Customs Enforcement agents, among others, continue to find stash houses across the Borderland.

With stash houses recently found inside homes and even short-term rentals, the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations told ABC-7 that HSI El Paso special agents have discovered more than 20 Airbnb properties that were used as stash houses in the past two years.

Last Friday, HSI EL Paso and Border Patrol agents arrested 13 migrants and 1 smuggler in a Central El Paso house rented on Airbnb; it was the second time that week. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) also assisted with this operation.

On Aug. 6, agents assigned to the Border Enforcement Task Force (BEST) also arrested 56 undocumented noncitizens in a stash house in West El Paso.

ABC-7 reached out to U.S. Border Patrol El Paso sector to learn more about the recent trend in stash houses in the El Paso - Ciudad Juárez Borderplex.

Agent and spokesman Orlando Marrero-Rubio said they are seeing a trend of transnational criminal organizations exploiting migrants with the false promise of a safe and secure passage into the country.

But for migrants, the reality is different as human smugglers only put them in danger risking their lives with no regard for the migrants' well-being.

Currently, El Paso Sector for FY2024, Border Patrol has seen 240 stash houses with 2,361 migrants rescued so far. On FY203 they saw a little over 260 stash houses.

Federal authorities continue to see a 37%decrease on the encounters and apprehensions of migrants.

This year, Border Patrol El Paso Sector has recorded over 218,000 encounters, this same time last year they saw 344,000.

"They're making them cross in remote areas almost already dehydrated. Most of the rescues occur within a mile of the border barrier, which tells us that they are being kept in stash houses outside of the U.S., where there's a lack of food, lack of nutrition. So when that migrant makes that entry, that illegal entry into the country, they're already dehydrated, in need of rescue."

This fiscal year the El Paso Sector has also seen an increase in migrant rescues and deaths with 828 rescues, last year it closed with 597, that's a 129% increase according to Agent Marrero-Rubio.

FY2023 closed with 149, this fiscal year has seen 155 so far.

"You understand, the migrants they don't know where they're going to cross. They do not dictate where they're going to cross. The transnational criminal organizations, the human smugglers, and the human trafficking traffickers are the ones that will dictate where they cross and where they will be taken," Agent Marrero-Rubio added.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Juárez's Ecology Department recovered a female crocodile that was rescued by members of the city's Civil Protection Department on Sunday evening.

César Díaz Gutiérrez, head of Ecology, reported that the reptile is approximately eight months old and was found in the Luis Echeverría neighborhood at 7:30 in the afternoon, from where it was transferred to the Municipal Pet Rescue and Adoption Center (RAMM).

Díaz also said that Ecology notified the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (PROFEPA), the agency that will be in charge of taking the lizard, and if it has been legally acquired, it will be returned to the owner.

ABC-7 spoke with both departments this morning, Director Díaz said since the Egyptian cat was also rescued from CERESO 3, they have encountered several exotic animals.

Among them, is the crocodile, tigers, lions, foxes, snakes, raccoons, alligators, and caimans, among others.

It is unknown if PROFEPA took the crododile to another Juárez facility or in Mexico.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Juarez is preparing to mark the eight anniversary of the death of legendary singer Juan Gabriel.

Ahead of the anniversary, the City of Juárez announced a 10-day event to commemorate Gabriel, who is widely considered one of the city's most famous residents.

Events will start on August 23 at 8 p.m. outside of Gabriel's home in Downtown Juárez with a formal reopening ceremony of the Juan Gabriel Museum.

The celebrations will go on until September 1, featuring concerts, parades, contests, marathons, and memorials, among other things.

All Borderland residents are invited to the celebrations in Juarez.

You can check the full list of events here.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- This week, the Mexican peso dropped in value. At some Borderland currency exchanges, the price to get dollars was almost 20 Mexican pesos per U.S. dollar.

According to UTEP Professor of Economics and Finance Dr. Tom Fullerton, the basic reason was that stock markets, currency markets, and bond markets for many of the high-income advanced economies in the world "went crazy."

This means that those economies entered a period of market uncertainty.

For Borderland residents trying to change pesos to dollars, they are feeling the uncertainty as pain in their wallets. Residents are getting fewer dollars for every peso exchanged.

In 2023, the super peso brought relief to Mexican residents and citizens trying to exchange pesos for dollars because it was cheaper, but nowadays it is the other way around.

According to Professor Fullerton, this means people from the U.S. earning dollars and spending their money in Mexico are being benefited.

With a 40% increase in the value of the U.S. dollar, currency exchanges are being benefited, and people who are exchanging dollars for pesos as well.

Today, casas de cambio in Juárez are currently offering the following rates: 18.10 pesos per dollar.

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JUÁREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- The city of Juárez through its Sports Institute and Human Rights Department announced the second edition of the Copa América Migrante, or Migrant America Cup set to happen next Thursday, August 15 at 9:30 a.m.

The tournament will feature once again several countries who are currently staying at the city's migrant shelter Kiki Romero and at the federal government's shelter, called Leona Vicario.

According to the city's director of human rights, Santiago González, no migrants are participating for the second time. Most have already left Juárez and are either in the U.S. or back in their home countries.

This year's edition will now feature a tournament for migrant women as well.

"This migrant cup's objective is to promote sports and recreation among migrants in our city," said Juan Manuel Escalante, director of the city's Municipal Institute of Sports and Physical Culture.

Last year, the Venezuelan team representing the city's 'Kiki Romero' shelter won the tournament. Director González said, the city wants to win the championship again, since the migrants who recently arrived at the shelter ask where that trophy came from, and see it as an opportunity while they remain in Juárez.

This year's editions will feature men's and women's teams representing the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia, and Ecuador.

Around 50 people are set to participate in next week's 'Copa América Migrante.'

Once again both shelters ask for the community's help to donate soccer shoes or sneakers for the migrants, this is the main struggle they have right now.

Director González confirmed to ABC-7 that, currently, the city keeps seeing low numbers of migrants as shelters in the city are under 40% of their capacities.

If you would like to donate any type of sports shoes for the migrants playing in this tournament, you can contact the 'Dirección de Derechos Humanos' at +52 (656) 737 0000 or through their Facebook page.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- The new Hospital Regional 2, known in English as the Regional Hospital 2, built by the Mexican Social Security Institute, was set to be inaugurated this Friday by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Continuing works at the hospital have delayed its inauguration, but Mexican authorities say they will start conducting some services for patients next Monday.

The new hospital is set to be fully operating by late September of this year.

Juárez media outlets are reporting that the hospital is set to speed up the rate of surgeries by 25%.

Even though the hospital will be inaugurated this Friday, local doctors and experts expect the HGR2 could start fully operating in September or later this year.

The new hospital's construction began in September of 2022, according to official reports it will have around 260 beds for patients and it had an investment of about 2.6 billion Mexican pesos; that's over $135 million.

The Mexican Social Security Institute is set to have a news conference today at noon to discuss this new project's inauguration.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- A total of 76 Chihuahua state inmates were transferred from Juárez's Social Reintegration Center (CERESO 3) to CERESO #1 in Chihuahua City and #4 located in Parral, also in the state of Chihuahua.

60 inmates were transferred to Chihuahua and 16 to Parral.

On Sunday, a fight inside the prison left seven people injured who were taken to a local hospital in Juárez as well.

The Chihuahua Secretary of Public Safety, Gilberto Loya confirmed three people have left the hospital and other four are still being treated for their injuries.

Multiple emergency and law enforcement agencies responded after the fight broke out Sunday afternoon.

Chihuahua state authorities told ABC-7, that currently the prison is operating at over capacity.

Recent reports said the CERESO 3 had over 4,130 inmates before last night's 76 transfers, the jail's total capacity is set to be for nearly 3,000; that is almost a 45% overpopulation.

A spokesman with the Chihuahua Secretariat of Public Safety said on Monday that multiple Penitentiary Custody members did these transfers and they used armored vehicles, procedural units, and Police Deployment units.

On Monday, state authorities also conducted a search inside CERESO 3 looking for prohibited items inside the prison.

Authorities found these items during the search:

• 50 makeshift spikes/knives
• 15 makeshift speakers
• 4 caps
• 13 board games (polianas)
• 3 warmers - 8 pairs of shoes
• 4 wall shelves - 1 backpack
• 1 video game controller
• 13 pieces of dark clothing
• 3 paintings of the holy death
• 3 gun-type toys
• 1 makeshift air conditioner.

"Despite the tightening of the search operations, family visits will continue to be allowed during the day, maintaining this right of inmates," said spokesman Antonio Garfio.

The Secretariat of Public Safety is currently working to alleviate more space at the Juárez prison to avoid more fights and incidents like Sunday's one.

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JUÁREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- With ongoing protests, situations, and events in Venezuela, local migrant shelters and advocates are reacting and thinking about the impacts it could bring to the borderland.

'La Casa del Migrante' is one of the biggest migrant shelters in Ciudad Juárez, known for hosting hundreds, if not thousands of Venezuelans since the migrant surge in 2022.

Its current director, father Francisco Bueno told ABC-7 that migrants are concerned about incumbent President Maduro's reelection.

For them, this political issue could bring another surge to the borderland in the next couple of months and have social impacts along the border.

"It is a regrettable fact on a social level to see the situation in which the population of Venezuela finds itself at the moment," said Father Francisco Bueno.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Five years later after the tragic Cielo Vista Walmart shooting, Borderland law enforcement agencies and first responders are working to improve mental healthcare for residents.

The Emergence Health Network (EHN) works closely with all local agencies to care for members of the El Paso community and help to divert those with mental illnesses away from unnecessary incarceration and into appropriate treatments for their behavioral health needs.

According to the EHN's website, the City of El Paso, El Paso Police Department, County of El Paso, and the El Paso Sheriff's Department EHN established the Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT).

When the Walmart shooting happened back in 2019, multiple first responders assisted and helped residents who were at the Walmart and dozens more who were looking for their family members at local hospitals.

The Director of the Crisis Intervention Teams, Kristen Weindorf was called to University Medical Center that day; she barely joined the team in 2019 months before the shooting happened.

Director Weindorf was at the emergency room and ICU where she spoke with people's family members who were going there to find loved ones thought of being at Walmart.

These events relating to mass casualties could mentally harm local communities like El Paso.

"They can experience symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD; again, even if they weren't physically at Walmart, just because it's something that happened in their community," Director Weindorf said.

"Something I love about El Paso is it's such a close-knit community, everybody is so welcoming here. It doesn't matter where you're from, if you're from here, if you're not, if you're visiting, if you're you just moved here a day ago and everybody's so welcoming," Weindorf added.

ABC-7 also spoke with the Chief of CIT, Rhonda Russ who also started working for the team in 2019. She was sent to the command post that was placed right next to Walmart where different agencies and first responders were that day.

"This is not something that any of us are ever going to get over. We're going to grow, we may heal. As Kristen has said, it takes all of us. We heal at different levels, we heal at different times, and part of that healing process might be, as that anniversary is coming up, we might feel sad and allow ourselves to feel sad," Chief Russ said.

Experts like Weindorf and Russ said and advised the community to not be silent and if anyone needs help, to reach out because it is very easy to feel alone in situations like this.

Anyone who needs help from EHN can call the crisis hotline at 915-779-1800 or at 988. Service is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Or visit the Crisis Emergency Services at 1601 East Yandell in Downtown El Paso.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Five years after the tragic Cielo Vista Walmart shooting, an El Paso and Juárez resident remembers what he experienced on August 3, 2019.

Victor Reyes and his family came from Juárez to one of the busiest Walmarts in the country.

They crossed an international bridge early Saturday morning and went to get breakfast before their planned shopping at Walmart.

When they finally got to the store, Victor and his family started to hear the gunshots. He says his daughter thought she was hearing fireworks.

Quickly they left the parking lot before local, state, and federal law enforcement closed everything around the store.

Victor and his family felt grateful, before knowing a couple he knew tragically didn't make it out of the Walmart.

Adolfo Hernández and Sarah Regalado were a married couple friends of Victor's mother. Victor says he and his family didn't believe the couple had been tragically killed inside the store until their names appeared in the news.

Victor described Sarah as a very good and helpful woman, she used to talk a lot and help Victor's mom who tragically passed away nearly two years ago.

To this day, Victor remembers that day with sadness but is also grateful he and his family went to grab breakfast before or they would've been inside the store during the massacre.

Watch Victor's full story tonight on ABC-7 at 6.

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Update: ABC-7 just received more sketches.

Update: ABC-7 just received this sketch from our sketch artist inside of the courtroom. Cameras were not allowed inside.

Update: Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada appeared in a wheelchair for a second time in an El Paso U.S. Federal Court along with his attorneys Frank A. Perez and Ray Velarde.

The status conference conducted by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone lasted between 6-7 minutes; 'El Mayo' showed up right before 1 p.m.

Two key issues were discussed, including a possible conflict of interest with his attorney Perez and if he would be tried along with other Sinaloa drug cartel members.

Perez previously represented 'El Mayo's' son, Vicente 'El Vincentillo' Zambada Niebla in Chicago.

Zambada agreed to waive any conflict of interest and only said 'Si', or yes acknowledging Perez will be representing him.

Judge Cardone also mentioned that Zambada has a lot of co-defendants in the cases.

Another status hearing was set for Monday, Sept. 9 at 1 p.m.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Drug kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada is scheduled to appear in an El Paso Federal court Thursday afternoon for a status conference.

The hearing starts at 1 p.m. Zambada was arrested in El Paso after arriving on a private plane that landed at the Doña Ana County airport on July 25.

He was taken into custody by the U.S.  Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of drug lord El Chapo, was also arrested. He was taken to Chicago.

Zambada and Guzman Lopez are facing charges related to the operations of the Sinaloa Cartel.

Updates will be given in later newscasts on ABC-7 at 4 and 5 p.m.

The post New Sketches: ‘El Mayo’ Zambada appears in court for second time appeared first on KVIA.

JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- A man was electrocuted in Juarez during Tuesday's rainstorms.

The City of Juárez confirmed this morning that a local man was electrocuted after stepping in a water puddle while walking barefoot outside of a home.

Local authorities confirmed the Juárez Fire Department responded to a 911 call reporting a possible electrocution.

The incident happened at Honduras Street and Hermanos Escobar Street near Downtown.

A power cable had fallen due to the weather conditions. It went into the puddle and caused the electrocution.

Authorities secured the body after power was cut in the entire sector to avoid any other incidents. ABC-7 was on the scene as it happened.

ABC-7 reached out to the Juárez Civil Protection Department to learn more details.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- The tent migrant shelter in Juárez that opened in October 2023 was shut down on Tuesday by the City of Juárez and Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM).

The shelter was originally intended to be opened for only two months when the latest migrant surge hit the Juárez - El Paso border in late 2023, but it didn't cease operations for over nine months.

El Diario de Juárez is reporting this shelter hosted over 9,000 migrants from Venezuela, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, Ecuador, El Salvador, Perú, and Mexico, among other countries.

The shelter was located near the Stanton Port of Entry, next to both cities' downtown areas. Local, state, and federal authorities and agencies were constantly involved in the operations and surveillance of the facility.

ABC-7 has reached out for more information to the Juárez Department of Human Rights, one of the agencies overseeing this recently closed shelter.

In recent months, the border has seen a decrease in migrant encounters conducted by U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- On Monday, the County of El Paso approved an item that authorized El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego to seek reimbursement for state inmates detained through Operation Lone Star.

The County could receive up to $5 million, which will reimburse the $3 million the County has spent housing state inmates. The rest will fund operations through the end of the year, officials say.

El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego told ABC-7 the county has gone from having nearly 800 open spaces for federal inmates to only 58 this year.

This year, the county has lost about $10 million in federal revenue because it has fewer beds for federal inmates. County leaders expect to lose $18 million by the end of this year.

"We won't be able to get reimbursed for the loss of federal money," County Judge Samaniego added. "We'll only be reimbursed by the cost of maintaining a state prisoner, maintaining all the health and mental health, and all the court costs and everything."

The only way for the County to have additional capacity for state and federal inmates is for Texas to open up a state facility. Now, the Rogelio Sanchez state facility by the County Jail Annex is being considered as an additional space for inmates.

According to Judge Samaniego, District Attorney Bill Hicks is currently negotiating with the office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott to open this facility.

ABC-7 reached out to the office of D.A. Hicks to learn more details but has not heard back yet.

"I've stayed away from any disaster declaration," County Judge Samaniego explained. "As you know, I've always avoided that because there were some other implications. Still, because of the impact on our community, we are restricting it to just the cost of having somebody to our jails that's going from a federal charge to a state charge."

In a statement, the El Paso County said:

"The impact of these OLS arrests has burdened jail and court operations and has created significant costs. Additionally, the County’s revenue has reduced substantially ($18.5 million less to be seen in FY25 when compared to FY22 revenue numbers), due to the County’s inability to provide jail beds to the federal government, through a contract which currently exists to house federal detainees. Most recent numbers indicate the County is housing approximately 300 OLS detainees each day in our local jails. By law, the County Sheriff must accept all inmates with state charges."

The signed Declaration of Disaster can viewed here.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The County of El Paso approved today an item that authorized El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego to seek reimbursement for state inmate's expenses paid by the County this year.

If approved, the County could receive up to $5 million, which will reimburse the $3 million the County has spent and the rest to keep moving forward with housing state inmates at County facilities.

El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego told ABC-7 they have gone from having nearly 800 spaces for federal inmates to only 58 this year.

"And it's not only the loss of the revenue that's hurting us. It's also the fact that when it's a federal inmate, everything is covered from mental health, they have to go to UMC. All of those charges are charged to the federal government. Now that they're state, we take care of the entire cost of an inmate," said County Judge Samaniego.

This year, the county has lost about $10 million in federal revenue for having fewer beds for federal inmates and they expect to lose $18 million by the end of this year.

"We won't be able to get reimbursed for the loss of federal money. We're only going to be reimbursed by the cost of maintaining a state prisoner, maintaining all the health and mental health, and all the court costs and everything." County Judge Samaniego added.

The only way for the County to have additional capacity for state and federal inmates is for the state to open up a state facility. Now the Rogelio Sanchez state facility by the County Jail Annex is being considered to be opened as an additional space for inmates.

According to Judge Samaniego, District Attorney Bill Hicks is currently negotiating with the office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott to open this facility.

"I've stayed away from any disaster declaration. As you know, I've always avoided that because there were some other implications, but now, because of the impact on our community, because we are restricting it to just to the cost of having somebody to our jails that's going from a federal charge to a state charge," County Judge Samaniego added.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso Police Department continues investigating an East El Paso shooting that happened early Sunday morning which has now become a murder investigation.

According to a report by El Paso Police, Patrol Officers responded to a call of a shooting at the Legendz Bar at Vista Del Sol and Zaragoza in East El Paso.

Authorities said two men from Fort Bliss were injured in the shooting and transported to the hospital. Crimes Against Persons Unit and Criminalistics Unit assisted the investigation.

Documents said a 24-year-old Hispanic man died at the hospital Sunday afternoon and a 26-year-old black male remains hospitalized.

"Detectives are asking anyone with any information on this deadly shooting to call El Paso Police at (915)832-4400 or to remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward by calling Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 566-8477(TIPS)," police officials added.

ABC-7 has reached out to Fort Bliss officials to learn more about how soldiers are being taken care of and to possibly confirm the identities of both males.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Regular border crossers continue to cut the line at the different ports of entry in the El Paso area, officials say. Now, Juárez Road Safety Coordination agents are fining some of them.

Last weekend, a video on social media showed an agent trying to take a man out of the line who was heading to El Paso at the Bridge of the Americas in El Paso's South-Central area.

Minutes after talking to the agent, the man, identified as Edgar Torres from El Paso, punched the Juárez agent, not following the orders to get out of the line.

This morning, the operations director of the Juárez Road Safety Department said that the agency is still looking for Torres.

The Road Safety Department (CGSV) and the Juárez Department of Public Safety (SSPM) are conducting operations across town checking on people with similar vehicles to find this driver.

Authorities said Torres was driving a grey 2019 Chevrolet pickup truck with Texas plates TTH0100 which was accompanied by another unidentified man.

El Diario de Juárez reported this morning that local Juárez authorities are now working with the El Paso Police Department to find the reported aggressive driver.

ABC-7 has reached out to the Juárez Road Safety department to learn more details and for an interview.

The post El Paso man assaults Juarez Road Safety agent at Bridge of the Americas while trying to cut line, officials say appeared first on KVIA.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner Troy A. Miller will be in El Paso for an operational visit and engagements with law enforcement partners and the CBP workforce today.

According to a news release sent out by U.S. CBP, Acting Commissioner Miller will host a media availability with local CBP leadership to provide an update on CBP’s fight against fentanyl and enhanced enforcement efforts against transnational criminal organizations.

The news briefing will begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Bridge of Americas Port of Entry, Commercial Cargo Facility.

ABC-7 will attend Commissioner Miller's visit and will have updates starting on ABC-7 at 4. Watch the event live here.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Two new maquiladoras opened their doors in Juárez yesterday, the City of Juárez attended the events along with the city's mayor.

One of them is a Taiwanese business called IEC Technologies, S.A. de C.V. opened its third plant in Juárez and it is set to bring around 7,000 new jobs.

Juárez Mayor Cruz Pérez Cuéllar said he thanks all investors who are putting their eyes in Juárez and invited them to keep investing in this area.

“I want to congratulate the entire team for this achievement, for having done it so quickly, but I also want to take the opportunity to encourage them to continue with this investment in Juárez, it is the best they can make since we have the best geographical location, I would say the best in the world, so we are very happy about this project.”

More maquiladoras, industries, and car dealerships coming from different parts of the world have opened in Juárez recently, with possibly more to come in a future.

According to El Diario de Juárez, this year Juárez and Chihuahua have consolidated their attractiveness for international investors with the arrival of 12 new operations. This will finance more than $ 94.7 million.

ABC-7 has reached out to different local business experts to learn how these foreign investments could impact the relationship between Mexico and the U.S. in the next administrations.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector has seen a decline in migrant encounters along the Southwest Land Border this Fiscal Year 2024, which started in October of last year.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection's data:

• In Fiscal Year 2021, the El Paso Sector saw 193,918 encounters.
• In 2022: 307,844
• In 2023: 427,471
• In 2024 so far: 218,718

U.S. Border Patrol Agent Claudio Herrera told ABC-7 that compared to last year, Border Patrol is seeing a 37% decrease. This decrease in numbers is helping Border Patrol agents process migrants faster and allocate agents in the field to secure the border.

On average, the El Paso Sector is currently encountering 380 migrants a day. When Title 42 was set to expire, Border Patrol was seeing more than 2,400 daily encounters.

"Definitely would like to see those numbers decrease even more because that will mean that fewer people are risking their lives and endangering them or their family members in the different challenges of the desert," said Agent Herrera-Baeza.

Anyone trying to cross illegally into the U.S. will still be processed under Title 8 and face removal proceedings such as being banned for up to five years for the first offense and ten years for a second offense.

Human smugglers South of the border are telling migrants to cross anywhere along the border wall if they have their CBP One App appointment, but that it's not true.

Even if they have an appointment with federal officials, migrants need to go to a designated Port of Entry instead of crossing illegally.

Agent Herrera also mentioned historically the weather has been one cause of the decrease in encounters along the border, but rescues have gone up as well.

This Fiscal Year, Border Patrol has seen nearly 760 rescues so far. Last year they recorded a total of 597. Most of the rescues and deaths have been due to heat-related illnesses, dehydration, drownings in the water canals or the river, and falls from the border wall, among other factors.

ABC-7 also asked what the U.S.B.P. El Paso Sector expects to see at the end of Fiscal Year 2024:

"We expect the best, our Border Patrol agents are confident in what they do, their responsibilities. We take pride in wearing this batch, wearing this uniform every single day, and protecting our communities," Agent Herrera added.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Juárez Road Safety Coordination agents carried out “Operation Fast and Furious” on 4 Siglos and Costa Rica Boulevard, in the El Chamizal area, as well as Margarito Herrera and Ramón Rayón, in Plaza Sendero Las Torres. The objective was to stop street racing in Juarez.

They secured 108 cars, 35 in the Chamizal area and 73 in the Plaza Sendero las Torres.

During the operation, carried out with the support of the Juárez Secretary of Public Safety, three people were arrested, two people for obstructing police work and one more for disturbing public order.

In a statement, the City of Juárez said this operation was carried out with 41 units and 83 members from both agencies.

They want to call on all citizens to avoid street racing, describing the practice as dangerous for public safety.

Local government officials also said they are working to build “a better road culture," to reduce incidents and to create awareness and responsibility when traveling through the city.

ABC-7 reached out to the Juárez Road Safety Coordination (CGSV) to learn more about these recent trends of street racing.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- The family members of Némesis Giselle Aguirre Castrejón will gather today and tomorrow at a Juárez funeral home to say their last goodbye to the 16-year-old girl.

In June, Némesis, along 13-year-old Ashley Daniela, and 14-year-old Ixchel Angelica, were killed in a car crash in Juárez allegedly caused by 45-year-old El Pasoan Henry Raygoza.

Ashley and Angelica were buried on June 27 in South Juárez, accompanied by several family members.

Nemesis' family was waiting to give the final goodbye to her because her mom was still hospitalized due to the crash. They were discharged from Juárez's General Hospital this week.

Chihuahua investigators say Raygoza was driving a black jeep that rear-ended a blue car the girls were in. It ended on the other side of the road, and a semi-truck crashed into it.

Canal 44 reported the family traveling in the blue car was heading to buy dresses for a quinceañera that was supposed to happen the Saturday of the week of the crash.

Raygoza was speeding because he was driving away from another crash while intoxicated; he tested positive for cocaine and marijuana.

Raygoza was then charged with manslaughter, injuries, and property damage and will be held at Juárez's CERESO No.3 pending trial.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Gas prices in Juárez saw an increase this week as residents were paying 18.99 Mexican pesos for regular gas per liter. Juárez local media outlets are reporting the gas price in Juárez is 25 percent more expensive than in any gas station in its sister city, El Paso.

If you do the math, the average price in El Paso per gallon of regular gas is $2.90; making it around 14 Mexican pesos per liter in El Paso.

Today, gas prices slightly decreased, as some gas stations in Juarez now sell gas for around 17.40 Mexican pesos.

Thor Salayandía with the Border Business Block (Bloque Empresarial Fronterizo) said this is unfortunate because that 25 percent extra cost could impact the pockets of borderland residents if gas prices continue to rise in Juárez.

Juárez is known for having cheaper gas prices compared to other cities in Mexico, and even in the state of Chihuahua. El Paso and Las Cruces residents have been seen filling up in Juárez in previous years when gas prices were more expensive on the U.S. side.

The Mexican Peso and U.S. Dollar's value also has an impact on the differences in gas prices.

"It's very bad because every dollar that goes away is a dollar that doesn't go into small and medium-sized border businesses," Salayandía said.

Businesses use gas for service, commerce, or industry purposes across the border. If they see an increase in gas prices, it will also create higher operating costs.

"When we have expensive gasoline, companies resent it a lot because gasoline is always a basic input," Salayandía explained.

ABC-7 reached out to UTEP Professor of Economics and Finance, Dr. Tom Fullerton to learn why this rise in prices is happening South of the border and other impacts it could have on residents and businesses in our area.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector's Confined Space Entry Team (CSET) was created over two decades ago to combat subterranean human smuggling threats on the border.

They sweep, operate, and supervise the storm drain system which has been used by human smugglers to cross migrants illegally into the United States.

ABC-7 was invited to first see the challenges and risks these agents face while trying to rescue or apprehend migrants nearly 25 feet underground.

One of its team members, Agent Efren Mercado told ABC-7 they've seen an increase in storm drain entries recently.

USBP El Paso Sector's CSET team works under challenging air quality environments, risky paths, and no communication in the storm drains.

"The air quality inside is a big issue. We have monitors that gauge our air quality inside and, just going down some of these they're pretty high so we have to use ropes attached, the ladder rung some of them are broken, there are animals in there," Agent Mercado said.

Oftentimes, these agents find snakes, scorpions, dogs, and cats, among other species.

When it's raining these agents face flash floods which is a problem because they can't operate if it's raining. Someone could get drowned or be dragged by the water current.

This team has to wear special equipment such as helmets, waders, kneepads, elbow pads air quality monitors, etc.

"There are some storm drains and tunnels that are made out of corrugated metal, and they have sharp edges, so we get cut up all the time," Agent Mercado added.

Agents have found tools down in the storm drain used by smugglers to help migrants lead their way at the sewers.

When these migrants try to cross through the sewer system they could face more risks such as injuries, poisoning, and even death.

"When when we enter a tunnel, it has to be a minimum of two entrants just to be safe. And we encounter groups of up to 20, 40 migrants. And it's just two of us down there," Agent Mercado said.

The communication challenge USBP Agents face is that they are not great down there.

They have to have an attendant at the entrance plus a supervisor, and the only communication they have is to get to the migrants, and then have to come back and relay with other agents.

"We don't know what they have on them, or if they're going to fight us. Which thank God it hasn't happened. But, that that's one big challenge," Mercado added.

Agents encounter people who are so fatigued they can't even walk and they've had to drag them out sometimes and strap them onto something and pull them out.

Another challenge Border Patrol agents face not only in the storm drain but across the whole sector is when Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) take advantage of the lack of knowledge of the migrants of the different situations and dangers they can find anywhere.

Most of the time migrants don't know what they are going to be facing while entering inside the storm drains in El Paso.

"How dangerous these situations and those places are. Don't risk yourself looking for the American Dream because it's not really worth it," Agent Claudio Herrera-Baeza said.

The post A Passage Below: U.S. Border Patrol’s Confined Space Entry Team rescues migrants smuggled into the U.S. appeared first on KVIA.

SUNLAND PARK, New Mexico (KVIA) -- 54 migrants were rescued from a portion of the Rio Grande inside Sunland Park, New Mexico on Tuesday by several local and federal agencies.

Some of the agencies involved were the EPFD, SPFD, Montana Vista Fire Department, Horizon Fire Department, and U.S. Border Patrol.

ABC-7 reached out to the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector to learn more about the status of these 54 migrants.

Agent Claudio Herrera-Baeza, one of the agency's spokesmen said, the U.S.B.P.'s Santa Teresa station reported seeing a group of migrants who crossed through Mount Cristo Rey and coming down the mountain.

They eventually made their way to the Rio Grande by Doniphan.

Agent Herrera-Baeza also confirmed, that even though the El Paso Sector has seen a 38% decrease in encounters compared to last year, they are seeing an increase in rescues.

This very same time last year, the El Paso Sector saw 360 rescues compared to the 740 Border Patrol has seen this year.

"So we're seeing a significant increase in rescues, and we attribute this to different factors. One of them is that the migrants are trusting their lives in transnational criminal organizations, where they are promising a safe passage when the reality is completely different," Agent Herrera said.

"This event, like here, and just getting into the water, can turn into a difficult situation and definitely a nightmare for our family that believes it's just looking for the American dream, but it can become a nightmare," Agent Herrera added.

The 54 migrants rescued came from different countries including Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic, among others.

U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector wants to keep reminding the migrant community to not risk themselves, because anyone who comes into the country illegally will be processed under Title 8.

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UPDATE: El Paso Fire Department finished rescue operations at the water near Doniphan at around 8:05 p.m.. 54 people were rescued from the water. No injuries were reported.

30 divers from EPFD, Sunland Park Fire Department, Montana Vista Fire Department, Horizon Fire Department, and U.S. Border patrol worked to rescue those in the water.

The rescue scene and individuals pulled out of the water have been turned over to law enforcement.

FINAL UPDATE - Water Rescue on Doniphan: 54 individuals rescued from the water. No injuries reported. A total of 30 divers from EPFD, SPFD, MVFR, HFD and USBP took part in the operation.

Scene and individuals turned to law enforcement. All fire crews returning to station. pic.twitter.com/RWTcecnhB2

— El Paso Fire Department (@EPTXFire) July 10, 2024

UPDATE: EPFD and SPFD Water Rescue crews have pulled 54 people out of the water near Doniphan as of 7:18 p.m.. No one has been reported injured.

UPDATE 3 - EPFD and SPFD Water Rescue on Doniphan: Fifty-four individuals so far have been pulled out of the water—no injuries at this time.

Stand by for updates. pic.twitter.com/PzDdDBJq22

— El Paso Fire Department (@EPTXFire) July 10, 2024

Update: EPFD water rescue crews pulled 41 people out of the water near Doniphan. No one has been reported injured.

UPDATE 2- EPFD and SPFD Water Rescue on Doniphan: Forty-one individuals so far have been pulled out of the water—no injuries at this time.

Stand by for updates. pic.twitter.com/K8oO2YY1DA

— El Paso Fire Department (@EPTXFire) July 10, 2024

SUNLAND PARK, New Mexico (KVIA) -- Sunland Park Fire Department water rescue crews worked this afternoon to pull multiple people out of the Rio Grande River. They were near Racetrack Drive and McNutt Road at Paisano. They left the scene by 5:00 PM.

@SunlandParkFire and @EPTXFire on scene of a water rescue in the Rio Grande River. Multiple people in the river between Racetrack Dr and McNutt Rd at Paisano.

Water Rescue personnel in the water.

Very active scene, avoid the area

Time out: 5:00 pm pic.twitter.com/EroSGRQpjO

— Sunland Park Fire (@SunlandParkFire) July 9, 2024

The El Paso Fire Department's water rescue team is also trying to pull multiple people out of the water on the 3500 block of Doniphan Drive. This situation is still happening. ABC-7 is working to learn whether the two incidents are connected. We are sending a crew to the scene.

EPFD water rescue team responding alongside Sunland Park Fire to reports of multiple people in the water at the 3500 block of Doniphan Dr.

Stand by for updates. pic.twitter.com/pLqKiIn94W

— El Paso Fire Department (@EPTXFire) July 9, 2024

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HUDSPETH COUNTY, Texas (KVIA) -- The mother of the two girls who died along with her sister and two nephews will be back in town after being stranded in Houston in Hurricane Beryl.

ABC-7 Anchor Paul Cicala spoke with loved ones of Cristina Martinez last night, who said the five people dead in this accident were driving back from Houston where Cristina was with her other daughter who was receiving treatment for cancer.

The victims of the crash were identified as 28-year-old El Pasoan Abigail Martinez, a 10-year-old boy, a 9-year-old girl, a 3-year-old girl, and a 6-year-old boy. Texas DPS officials have not identified the minors.

The two girls who died in the crash were Cristina Martinez's daughters, and the two boys who died were Abigail Martinez's sons who also died in the crash.

As mentioned, the last living daughter of Cristina Martinez was with her in Houston as they were stranded because of the hurricane that swept through. The daughter just completed her medical stay for cancer in Houston.

If you would like to help the Martinez family, here's a link to the GoFundMe page.

The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed preliminary investigations show that Abigail's vehicle was traveling westbound on I-10 near mile marker 101.

The driver drove off the roadway and into the center median, overcorrected, and lost control of the vehicle. Her vehicle came to rest onto the north frontage road of I-10.

The investigation is still ongoing.

The post El Paso mom back in town to identify her two children who died in a car crash on Sunday appeared first on KVIA.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Transnational criminal organizations are well known for using the sewer system as a mean of smuggling migrants into the U.S.

El Paso's storm drain system has been used by human smuggler and migrants to avoid encountering U.S. Border Patrol agents or U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.

The U.S. Border Patrol's Confined Space Entry Team (CSET) is the unit in charge of going down to the storm drains, usually on days that it doesn't rain.

ABC-7 took a trip down to the city's sewer and storm drain system with CSET to see what challenges these Border Patrol agents face whenever they are called out to rescue or apprehend migrants who have been smuggled into the country.

According to U.S. Border Patrol's CSET Agent Efren Mercado, they have seen an increase in migrant numbers in the sewer system lately.

"We, sweep them or check them (storm drains), constantly to make sure nobody's using them. We check for foot sign in there, and, sometimes when we go in there, they've been using it for a couple of weeks, maybe a few days sometimes where we just bump into them in there," said Agent Mercado. "So, we're just trying to be on top of it."

Thursday on ABC-7 at 10, learn what other challenged this unit faces while trying to rescue migrants and avoid more illegal entries coming to the El Paso Sector.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- The maquiladora industry on the border is one of the main suppliers of medical, and manufacturing, among others, and with the recent decrease in unemployed maquiladora operators the borderland's economy could suffer a big hit.

Reports show the maquiladora industry generates around 60% of formal employment in Ciudad Juárez; in the last ten months over 35,000 jobs fell due to different factors.

Local Mexican media outlets have reported that the price of the U.S. dollar, lack of nearshoring consolidation, and recent delays in cargo imports and exports are reasons these jobs have had to be cut.

According to Thor Salayandía, coordinator of the Border Business Block, or 'Bloque Empresarial Fronterizo, in May of 2023, there were 326,000 maquiladora jobs in Juárez. In late April of this year, around 291,000 jobs were reported.

Salayandía also said, the loss of around 35,000 jobs it's concerning because investment in Mexico has gone down coming from China and other countries.

A study made by the Borderplex Business Barometer also shows that maquiladora employment in Chihuahua has seen an increase, a difference compared to Juárez recently.

ABC-7 reached out to Salayandía for an interview and will have more details in later newscasts.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- On Wednesday, several Juárez media outlets reported that a portion of the razor wire placed by the Texas National Guard was removed along the Rio Grande.

The area where this happened was in the 'Colonia Felipe Ángeles' in Juárez, right in front of UTEP in El Paso.

ABC-7 reached out to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Military, and the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) to learn why this portion of the wire was removed and which agency removed it.

The razor wire was first placed in 2022 in this same area of town, near the Paso Del Norte Bridge in Downtown Juárez and El Paso.

In January, the Supreme Court allowed federal agents to remove the razor wire Texas placed along the border, but nothing was removed until this portion was removed this week.

The razor wire was first placed by Texas authorities to prevent the migrants' illegal entry into the U.S. and Texas.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Firework vendors across El Paso County continue to prepare for tonight's celebrations. Some of them opened earlier today to start receiving customers who are set to celebrate Independence Day just like every year.

But with tonight's celebrations, local officials want to remind members of the community about some of the restrictions they need to keep in mind.

Inside the city of El Paso it is banned to have fireworks, in the county it depends on the drought index.

In June, El Paso County Commissioners voted to ban the sale and use of some fireworks from June 24 to July 4. This included rockets with sticks and missiles with fins, which were only 2 types out of 8 aerial fireworks.

This is only a partial ban in El Paso County, people can still use mines, shells, Roman candles, multi-shot cakes, and re-loadables.

If you are caught with fireworks within El Paso city limits, they'll be confiscated. You can also be fined, with citation fines reaching as high as $2,000.

ABC-7 will speak with some local firework vendors to learn how sales are going today on Independence Day.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- 205th District Judge Francisco X. Dominguez issued a pair of rulings on Tuesday stopping Texas' request to shut down the Annunciation House that the state claimed to be operating a stash house.

ABC-7 spoke with the Director of Annunciation House, Ruben Garcia. He said immigration is an issue that still needs to be discussed and taken care of. Since the lawsuit was filed earlier this year, volunteers have left the shelter network and fewer people have signed up to help with all the refugees.

"The impact on individuals not wanting to volunteer, not only with Annunciation House but with other NGOs, is a really serious issue. And it clearly affected us and it continues to affect us.," Garcia said.

Judge Dominguez also said in his ruling, that the state's request to obtain private documents from the Annunciation House was "unconstitutionally vague."

"The record before this Court makes clear that the Texas Attorney General’s use of the request to examine documents from Annunciation House was a pretext to justify its harassment of Annunciation House employees and the persons seeking refuge. This Court previously expressed its concern that the Attorney General did not identify what laws he believed were being violated from the outset," Dominguez wrote in one of the rulings.

Attorney Jerry Wesevich, who represents Annunciation House, also mentioned at this point they hope Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will see and respect the bounds that the court has described on his power. Wesevich also said they haven't had any communications with the Texas A.G.'s office about today's rulings.

"All we can say is that he has no right to do what he attempted to do under the law," Attorney Wesevich said.

According to Wesevich, there is no legal basis for closing a nonprofit that provides social services to refugees.

"The timeline is they have 30 days from when the court enters a final judgment, and I would not be surprised if the court enters a final judgment today. I have asked the court to do that to make sure that if the Attorney General appeals within 30 days from today," Wesevich said.

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JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Recent rain hitting the Borderland heavily impacted communities south of the border. Ciudad Juárez, well-known for having heavy flooding during rainy periods, saw flooded streets and cars this morning.

According to the Juárez Road Safety Department, crews assisted over 150 drivers last night due to the heavy rain. The Juárez Department of Public Safety also assisted around 30 commuters.

The flooding happened in different parts of town, as most of the drivers got stuck in big puddles of water in the streets of Juárez.

Some streets had to be closed as well due to the high levels of water.

ABC-7 spoke with a local soccer amateur league that had to suspend operations early last night, and they expect to suspend all activities today, too.

Our crews in Juárez saw some workers trying to get that water out of the athletic fields and out of the parking lot, which was completely flooded and damaged by the rain.

ABC-7 also contacted the Juárez Road Safety Department to learn more about how they will prepare if more rain comes to the borderland in the next few days.

They said if any borderland resident needs assistance due to the flooding, you can call 911 or the department's direct number at +52 (656) 825-3560. You will have to send authorities your location for them to assist you.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- An ABC-7 viewer says that a pack of loose dogs attacked and killed other animals near one of her family member's homes.

Over the weekend, it happened along Emory Rd in El Paso's Upper Valley. The pack of dogs allegedly killed mostly emus and geese in that area.

ABC-7 reached out to the El Paso Animal Services Department to learn more about this case and others they might respond to across the city.

A spokeswoman with the department said they do receive many calls in this area, primarily concerning wildlife and some stray animal calls. The region, including the surrounding areas, is abundant with brush and open land, and it is situated right across from Keystone Heritage Park.

"We did receive 4 calls on Friday regarding some loose dogs. Unfortunately, when our officers arrived, the reported canines were no longer on site. Our Animal Protection team has been patrolling the area three to four times daily and has set up traps in efforts to capture the reported dogs. Our officers also canvassed the neighborhood in hopes of any potential information on where the reported canines may live with no leads," said Julie Newbold, Public Affairs Coordinator with El Paso Animal Services.

The department also confirmed that the dogs had not been seen since late Friday evening, and they had not encountered them during their patrols.

"We ask our community to be vigilant and ensure they are properly confining their pets at all times to help prevent similar issues. If anyone has any leads on where these canines live, we ask our community to please reach out to our department to help further our investigation," Newbold added.

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