DHS Secretary Tours Border Patrol’s Busiest Sector for Migrant Crossings in Texas

EAGLE PASS, Texas — DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas toured local facilities within the Border Patrol’s Del Rio Sector Thursday.

Mayorkas arrived in Del Rio on Thursday after completing a stop in San Antonio on Wednesday. In San Antonio, Mayorkas met with city leaders to discuss migrant housing and transit issues. As reported by Breitbart Texas, San Antonio leaders have asked for limitations on migrants sent from the border communities of Laredo, Del Rio, and Eagle Pass to be capped at 600 daily.

San Antonio’s migrant resource center faces overcrowding and complaints from residents about panhandling in high-traffic areas.

As part of the tour, Mayorkas visited a recently opened and overcrowded soft-sided processing facility near Eagle Pass. The center was built to house 1,000 migrants awaiting processing which, according to a source within CBP, is often at 200 percent capacity.

The influx of migrant traffic, to include single groups nearly 500 strong at times, causes temporary suspensions of routine border patrols.

More than 376,000 migrants have been apprehended entering the Del Rio Sector since October 2021, the start of the current fiscal year. Nearly 50,000 were apprehended in July alone, making the sector the busiest in the nation. According to a source within CBP, approximately 30 percent of the migrants are returned to Mexico almost immediately.

The increase in migrant traffic has brought about a corresponding increase in migrant deaths. A local funeral home contracted to receive decedent migrants has reached capacity and can no longer accept those found in the Rio Grande or on private ranches.

As reported by Breitbart Texas, five migrants drowned attempting to cross the Rio Grande in a three-day span last week. In another instance, the body of a drowned 3-year-old was discovered. A two-month-old infant was also found floating nearby but was revived during the same incident.

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.