685 Migrants Apprehended in Four Groups in One Texas Border Sector

Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol agents apprehended four large groups of migrants last week. The four groups totaled 685 migrants — mostly single adults.

Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Patrol Agent Brian Hastings tweeted photos of large groups of migrants apprehended after they illegally crossed the border from Mexico. The chief also reported three additional human smuggling incidents interdicted by his agents.

The four large-group apprehensions took place near in Starr County, Texas. This is one of the busiest border crossing areas in the country. The Rio Grande City Station agents working line operations along the border encountered four large groups. The 685 apprehended migrants included 424 single adults, 190 family units, and 71 unaccompanied alien children, according to information obtained from Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol officials.

Agents processed the migrant groups and identified them as foreign citizens from Central America, South America, Asia, and the Caribbean.

Elsewhere in the sector, Weslaco Station agents found a group of ten migrants in a vehicle following a crash on May 5. The agents report the driver attempted to flee but lost control and crashed into a fence. The migrants and the smuggler attempted to flee on foot. Agents took them into custody and determined all, including the driver, to be illegally present in the U.S. One migrant had to be transported to a hospital for minor injuries. Doctors later released the migrant to the agents.

That same day, Kingsville Station agents observed a suspicious vehicle in a known smuggling area and called for assistance from the Kenedy County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety. A sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop the Jeep Grand Cherokee but the driver refused to stop. A pursuit ensued that ended when tire deflation devices were successfully deployed.

Several migrants fled on foot, officials reported. Agents apprehended five migrants and the driver — a U.S. citizen. The sheriff’s deputy arrested the driver who will face charges of human smuggling and failure to yield.

That night, agents patrolling near San Manuel attempted to stop a Hyundai Accent for an immigration interview. The driver refused to stop and led the agents on a pursuit. The driver eventually stopped and the occupants bailed out to flee into the brush. The agents searched the area and place four migrants under arrest. The driver avoided apprehension.

In total, these incidents led to the arrest of 705 migrants, officials stated.