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, according to information provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials. The migrants traveled to the U.S. from Guatemala (515), Honduras (135), and El Salvador (76).
“The apprehension of 1,036 individuals in a single group – the largest group ever encountered by Border Patrol agents – demonstrates the severity of the border security and humanitarian crisis at our Southwest border,” CBP Deputy Commissioner Robert E. Perez said in a written statement. “The dedicated men and women of CBP, and in particular the U.S Border Patrol, are doing their very best every day to address the influx of family units and unaccompanied children.”
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.
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
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with additional information from U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials.
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