300 Migrants Apprehended in Arizona Desert in 24 Hours

Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents apprehended two large groups of Central American migrants who illegally crossed the Mexican border into Arizona. The groups consisted mostly of family units and unaccompanied minors. At least five of the migrants required medical assistance.

Agents assigned to the Ajo Border Patrol Station came upon a group of 242 migrants while they were patrolling the border on December 19 about 15 miles west of Lukeville, Arizona, according to information obtained by Breitbart News from U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. The following morning, Casa Grande Station agents came upon a group of 64 migrants while patrolling the border in the Tohono O’odham Nation.  Both groups of migrants surrendered to the agents without incident, officials stated.

The agents reported both groups consisted mainly of family units — including juveniles and pregnant women. The groups came to the U.S. mainly from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Officials did not say if these groups broke away from or were connected to the so-called caravan migrants.

Border Patrol agents carried out initial screenings with the migrants which included an interview to determine if any of the migrants were experiencing health of safety-related issues. During that screening process, agents identified five people — one pregnant woman and four juveniles who required immediate medical assistance. Agents arranged transportation for those file migrants to a hospital in Goodyear, Arizona. Doctors treated the migrants and released them to Ajo Station agents for processing.

Agents at the Tucson station identified nine additional juveniles displaying flu-like symptoms The juveniles who ranged in age from one to thirteen were taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment, officials reported.

“Border Patrol agents save people every year who are overcome by the elements, including people found suffering from dehydration, heat stroke, hypothermia, drowning in the river, injuries, and left for dead by smugglers in some of the most remote areas of the desert when they enter the country illegally,” Tucson Sector officials said.

Agents processed the remaining migrants for immigration violations according to Tucson Sector protocols.