U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley Sector reported apprehending nearly 7,000 migrants in a single week who illegally crossed the border from Mexico into Texas.
The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Sector is ground zero for the influx of migrants illegally crossing the border between ports of entry. The sector accounts for the largest percentage of all migrant apprehensions for all of the migrants apprehended in the nine southwest Border Patrol sectors, according to information provided by Border Patrol officials.
On Wednesday alone, RGV Sector agents apprehended more than 1,300 migrants — marking the second time in as many weeks this milestone has been achieved, officials stated.
Reports indicate that a majority of the migrants apprehended in the RGV sector are family units and unaccompanied minors from Central and South America. The massive number of apprehensions and the associated time required for Border Patrol agents to process and medically clear each of these migrants greatly impacts the sector’s resources normally utilized for carrying out the border security mission of the region.
During the first four months of Fiscal Year 2017, RGV agents apprehended 77,549 migrants who illegally crossed the border between ports of entry, according to the January Southwest Border Migration Report. This represents an average of 630 migrants apprehended per day. It also accounts for nearly 40 percent of all migrants apprehended in the nine southwest border sectors since October 1, 2018.
So far this fiscal year, RGV agents apprehended 43,588 Family Unit Aliens (FMUA) and 8,685 Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC). This represents an increase of 180 percent and 34 percent respectively over the same period in FY2018.
Nationally, Border Patrol agents apprehended 99,901 FMUAs and 20,123 UAC in the nine southwest Border Patrol sectors, officials reported. The families mostly originated from Guatemala (50,593) — followed by Honduras (36,009), El Salvador (9,146), and Mexico (883). Minors also mostly came from Guatemala (9,522) — followed by Honduras (4,833), Mexico (3,007), and El Salvador (2,292).
“At the current rate, the Rio Grande Valley Sector is on pace to reach 240,000 apprehensions for this fiscal year,” officials said in a written statement.
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
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