Migrant Apprehensions in West Texas Up 215 Percent over Last Year’s Record

The massive flow of migrants crossing the Rio Grande into the Del Rio Sector is shattering last year’s record pace, according to the sector chief. Apprehensions in some stations are up more than 215 percent over the record set in 2021.

Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Jason D. Owens tweeted a shocking report that stations in his sector are experiencing an increase in apprehensions of 215 percent — some as high as 350 percent. The increases catapulted the sector into first place over the Rio Grande Valley Sector.

Breitbart Texas visited the Del Rio Sector last week to meet with Texas National Guard officials regarding Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star border security mission. While in Eagle Pass, Texas, Breitbart witnessed the steady flow of mostly Venezuelan migrants where more than 50 crossed at a single location in just two hours.

Texas National Guardsmen assist Border Patrol with a migrant family who illegally crossed the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass, Texas. (Bob Price/Breitbart Texas)

During the first three months of Fiscal Year 22, which began on October 1, 2021, Del Rio Sector agents apprehended more than 91,000 migrants who illegally crossed the Mexican border into Texas between ports of entry, according to the Southwest Land Border Encounters report for December. This marks an increase of more than 247 percent over the same period last year when agents apprehended only 26,000 migrants.

Del Rio took the lead in January as the busiest of the nine southwest border sectors. Agents apprehended an estimated 31,000 migrants during January, according to a source operating under the umbrella of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This was down slightly from January when Del Rio agents apprehended about 33,000 migrants.

Rio Grande Valley Sector agents, normally the busiest in the nation, apprehended slightly less than the Del Rio Sector in January. These agents apprehended just over 30,000 migrants.