El Paso Sector Border Patrol agents apprehended a historic 1,036 migrants in a single group near El Paso on Wednesday morning. The group included more than 60 unaccompanied minors.
Agents patrolling the border near El Paso encountered the largest-ever single group of Central American migrants crossing the border at one time. The previous record migrant group consisted of a group of 430 migrants who crossed the border near El Paso on Monday, according to information obtained from El Paso Sector officials. Prior to that agents apprehended a single group of 424 Central American migrants who crossed the New Mexico border near Antelope Wells one month ago.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials reported that the 1,036 migrants apprehended early Wednesday morning consisted of mostly Central American migrants including 934 family units, 63 unaccompanied minors, and 39 single adults, NBC News reported. The migrants traveled to the U.S. from Guatemala (515), Honduras (135), and El Salvador (76).
“Immigration advocates say more immigrants are traveling in large groups because they believe in ‘safety in numbers,’ as conditions along their journey are treacherous,” NBC News reported. “U.S. officials say the large groups overwhelm medical teams and border agents, who are most often patrolling in pairs.”
It has been a very busy week for El Paso Sector agents who are responsible for a largely unsecured border that covers far West Texas and the New Mexico boot-heel. On Memorial Day, El Paso Sector agents established a new single-day record by apprehending more than 2,200 migrants, according to information obtained by Breitbart News from El Paso Sector officials. The migrants crossed the border in two large groups and several smaller groups, officials reported.
U.S. Border Patrol agents in El Paso Sector apprehend more than 2,200 on Memorial Day. #CBP #BorderPatrol https://t.co/aGBUInrdek pic.twitter.com/ceoLpvZcaw
— CBP West Texas (@CBPWestTexas) May 28, 2019
Early Monday morning, agents patrolling near Antelope Wells, New Mexico, apprehended the first large group of the day. The agents captured more than 200 migrants. A few hours later, agents in El Paso apprehended what would be short-lived record group of 430 migrants who crossed near Bowie High School.
By the end of the day, El Paso Sector agents would be tasked with processing more than 2,200 migrants. Of those, 1,850 were taken into custody in small groups who crossed in an area of El Paso bounded by Executive Boulevard and Midway Street, officials stated.
The migrants will be processed and provided a health screening and criminal background check. Migrants who are suspected of making false family claims will be interviewed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents to determine the validity of their claim.
It is likely that most of the migrant family units will be released after processing due to overcrowding.
“This fiscal year to date the El Paso Sector has arrested over [130,000] illegal aliens, compared to over 16,000 during the same time last fiscal year,” El Paso Sector officials said in a written statement. “The numbers continue to rise and agents see no end in sight for this current situation.”
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for the Breitbart Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Face
via Breitbart News
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