Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents released a group of 40 women who illegally entered the United States from Central American countries at a bus station in south Texas. The influx of women and children illegally crossing the border from Mexico has been increasing steadily over the past year.
The women from Central America were seen being dropped off Thursday night by ICE officials at the bus station in Laredo, Texas, KGNS reported. The women were released with their personal belongings and a promise to appear before an immigration judge at some point in the future.
“President Obama has rolled out the red carpet for illegal immigrants,” Border Patrol Agent Hector Garza told Breitbart Texas Thursday night. Garza spoke with Breitbart Texas in his role as president of the National Border Patrol Council Local 2455. “Most of the illegal immigrant families and unaccompanied children used to cross in the Rio Grande Valley. Now we are seeing massive numbers in the Laredo Sector as well.”
After being apprehended by Border Patrol agents, the women were processed by ICE officials and taken to the Laredo bus station with a promise to appear in court at a later time. The destination for the women being dropped at the bus station was not reported, but it is likely they will head to Houston or San Antonio before moving on to locations around the country.
The women had confused looks on their faces, Gonzales reported. “It’s an uncertain future for them and for the new White House administration vowing to address this two year surge next year,” she stated.
In November 2016, a total of 3,195 illegal aliens were apprehended in the Laredo Sector. These included 244 Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) and 175 Family Unit Aliens (FMUA). FMUA’s are defined by CBP as a child under 18 years old, parent or legal guardian) apprehended with a family member.
November saw the fifth consecutive month where the numbers of total apprehensions along our southwest border increased, Breitbart Texas reported earlier this month.
CBP officials have responded to the increasing numbers of UAC and FMUA apprehensions, particularly in Texas, by opening temporary holding facilities in Tornillo and Donna, Texas, as previously reported by Breitbart Texas. The facilities are capable of holding 500 people each, officials stated. The FMUA and UACs apprehended by Border Patrol and CBP are held while awaiting transfer to the Department of Health and Human Services or to ICE for removal or detention processing.
Earlier this year, Border Patrol agents in the Laredo Sector had to risk their lives to apprehend some of the illegal immigrants who were left by smugglers to drown in the Rio Grande River, Breitbart Texas reported. One of the agents jumped into the river to rescue the four illegal aliens. He reached the group in time and managed to pull them to safety.
“Our agents frequently put their lives at risk to apprehend these illegal border crossers and stop the flow of drugs,” Garza told Breitbart Texas. “Despite the risks taken to make these apprehensions, the Obama Administration simply lets them go. It wears on our agents’ morale. We want to do our job and protect this country.”
“Now, we are learning that many of the immigrants processed by ICE are simply released on their own recognizance with a promise to appear for an immigration hearing at some future date,” Garza concluded.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.