LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) - Federal authorities have started dropping off migrants at a homeless shelter in Las Cruces.

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that the churches in the southern New Mexico city for months have been providing temporary shelter to migrants released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention but that Friday was the first time that the Border Patrol vans dropped off migrants at the Gospel Rescue Mission.

Approximately 70 were dropped off Friday morning and additional migrants were expected.

The Border Patrol announced Thursday it would release migrants in southern New Mexico and in El Paso, Texas, pending their future hearings "due to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations' capacity issues."

Las Cruces officials said they'd use a recreation center to augment other facilities being used to temporarily house migrants.

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