Large Migrant Group Tactic Moves to California Border Sector

The human smuggling tactic of moving large groups of migrants across the border in a single crossing moved to the San Diego Sector this week. For only the second and third times this year, agents apprehended large groups of more than 100.

San Diego Sector Border Patrol officials reported that agents encountered a group of 123 crossing the border illegally in a single group near Imperial Beach. This is the first large group encounter since November when agents apprehended another group of 144 migrants.

Three days later, agents in the San Diego Sector encountered another large group of 101 who entered the U.S. illegally after human smugglers used a blow torch to cut drainage tube bars. The group crossed the border at about 1:45 a.m., officials noted.

San Diego Border Patrol officials report:

The two groups totaling 224 individuals were determined to be citizens of the following 13 countries:

•    Brazil (183)
•    Sierra Leon (4)
•    Peru (4)
•    Nepal (4)
•    Nicaragua (2)
•    Nigeria (2)
•    Haiti (2)
•    Gambia (1)
•    India (1)
•    Cuba (3)
•    Romanians (8)
•    Colombians (8)
•    Mexicans (2)

With 13 different countries consisting of mostly non-Spanish speaking migrants, San Diego Sector must resource out for translation support, which can strain the case-work process.

“I am proud of the effort our agents do daily in continuing to secure the Border, especially considering encounters at the border have been increasing for the past two years,” said San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke.

The two large groups totaled 224 migrants, officials stated. Agents transported the migrants to a nearby Border Patrol station for processing and medical evaluation. The agents reported the group consisted of 167 single adults and 57 family units.