The city of McAllen, the Catholic Charities Respite Center and Border Patrol are preparing as immigrants near the U.S.-Mexico border.

McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said during a city meeting on Monday that city management has been briefed by Border Patrol.

Darling said agents are working to process immigrants near the border and keep them out of detention centers. The state has sent McAllen 6,000 rapid COVID-19 tests to test immigrants.

"We will not put any people into the respite center or bus station without being tested,” Darling said.

Sister Norma Pimentel of Catholic Charities said the respite center is keeping the population inside its doors free of COVID-19 by sending any immigrants who test positive to an offsite hotel.

"We are receiving them and processing, offering them the care that they need as they're being released so they can contact their family,” Pimentel said. “But most importantly what we're doing is making sure is making sure the families are free from COVID."