250K Migrant Families Apprehended by Feds in 2019

Border Patrol agents apprehended nearly a quarter-million migrant families this year who illegally crossed the border between ports of entry. Agents also apprehended nearly 45,000 unaccompanied minors.

During Fiscal Year 2019, U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended 248,197 Family Unit Aliens (FMUA) and 44,779 Unaccompanied Alien Children, according to the April Southwest Border Migration Report released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Wednesday afternoon. Border Patrol officials define a family unit as at least one minor accompanied by an adult parent or legal guardian.

In April alone, agents apprehended 58,474 FMUAs and an additional 48,897 UACs.

The Rio Grande Valley Sector continues to lead the nation in migrant apprehensions. In this single sector, agents arrested 101,857 family units, an increase of 238 percent over Fiscal Year 2018’s year-to-date numbers of 30,113. The El Paso Sector increased 1,816 percent from 3,865 migrants a year ago to 74,072 so far this year.

Over the weekend, not included in these numbers, 2,400 migrants were apprehended in a single day after illegally crossing the border in the Rio Grande Valley Sector, Breitbart News reported. The sector is now holding more than 7,000 migrants in temporary detention facilities. Of the more than 248,000 family migrants apprehended so far this year, 114m778 came to the U.S. from Guatemala and 95,875 came from Honduras. Only 24,488 and 2,121 family units came from El Salvador and Mexico respectively.

The same holds true for unaccompanied minors. Of the nearly 45,000 UACs apprehended this year, 19,991 came from Guatemala and 11,569 came from Honduras. El Salvaror (6,109) and Mexico (5,988) rounded out the top four countries of origin.

This contrasts with single adults where Mexican nationals continue as top illegal border crossers. So far this year, 82,834 Mexican single adults crossed the border illegally — compared to 31,030 from Guatemala, 25,814 from Honduras, and 11,290 from El Salvador.