Three more Border Patrol Agents working at the Eagle Pass, Texas, processing center tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend, according to a source working under the umbrella of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The agents were assigned to process migrants apprehended in the Del Rio Sector in a soft-sided structure that is currently holding double its rated capacity.
The total number of Border Patrol agents, according to the source, reached six since Thursday. In addition, at least one Texas Army National Guard soldier working in Eagle Pass also tested positive for the virus. The source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, says the facility is rated at 300 migrants due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The facility is currently holding more than 1,000 migrants.
Three northern border agents detailed to Eagle Pass to assist with the current migrant surge tested positive after spending less than one week at the processing center, Breitbart Texas reported on Thursday. The source now reports the total stands at six and is expected to continue to rise.
“This is a nightmare. We have no more room for anyone else in the facility,” the source told Breitbart. “We cannot process them fast enough and when we are done, we have no place to take them except to put them out on the street.”
Several of the Border Patrol Agents who tested positive for the virus had been fully vaccinated, the source reported. It is unknown if the agents were exposed to the Delta variant of the virus. According to the Border Patrol in Del Rio, nearly 1,000 migrants are being apprehended daily in the West Texas region covered by the sector.
The source says migrants are being let go in downtown Eagle Pass since a local non-governmental shelter refused to take in any more migrants. The Mission Border Hope shelter is concerned that they will not be able to arrange transportation for the migrants into the interior of the United States after a recent executive order issued by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
At least 70 Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley Sector also tested positive for COVID-19 since October, according to reports last week. A large percentage of those infections occurred in the past few weeks as increasing numbers of migrants are testing positive.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.