Large Migrant Groups Continue Pouring Across ‘Closed Border’

Border Patrol agents continue to apprehend increasing volumes of large migrant groups illegally crossing the border in the Rio Grande Valley Sector. Despite White House assurances that the southwester border is “closed,” apprehensions in March have already exceeded the entire month of February.

Over the weekend, Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol agents apprehended three more “large groups” of migrants, CBP officials said in a written statement. In three incidents, the agents apprehended nearly 400 migrants — mostly family units and unaccompanied minors.

“Groups of over 100 apprehensions becoming the new normal as RGV agents encounter three this weekend totaling more than 369 illegal aliens,” Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Patrol Agent Brian Hastings tweeted. “This is the 25th 100+ sized group this year.”

By late last week, Hastings tweeted that his agents had already apprehended more than 34,000. With 11 days to go in the month at that time, the number of apprehensions in March exceeded February’s apprehensions for the entire month by more than 25 percent.

McAllen Station agents working the border near Havana, Texas, on Saturday encountered a group of 145 migrants, officials stated. Just a few hours later, agents working near La Joya, apprehended a second large group of 108. Border Patrol defines a “large group” as a single crossing of more than 100 migrants.

On Sunday morning, agents patrolling the border near Hidalgo, Texas, encountered the third large group consisting of 116.

In total, the agents apprehended 369 migrants. Officials report nearly 300 of the group were family units and unaccompanied minors. The remainder were said to be single adults.

“Even with the spread of the COVID-19 virus, human smugglers continue to try these brazen attempts with zero regard for the lives they endanger nor to the health of the citizens of our great nation,” Rio Grande Valley Sector officials said in a written statement.