266K Migrants Apprehended in 2 Months in Texas-Based Border Sectors

Border Patrol agents in the five Texas-based sectors apprehended more than 266,000 migrants in the first two months of the new fiscal year. Nearly 107,000 of those entered through the El Paso Sector.

El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Peter Jaquez reports the increasing number of migrants crossing into the El Paso Sector. During the first two months of Fiscal Year 23, which began on October 1, El Paso Sector agents apprehended 106,561 migrants, according to the November Southwest Land Border Encounters Report released on the Friday night before Christmas. This is up more than 260 percent from the 29,539 apprehended in the same period last year. It is anticipated that more than 50,000 migrants will be apprehended in December.

The El Paso Sector continues to be the busiest sector for migrant apprehensions along the southwest border with Mexico.

In the Del Rio Sector, agents apprehended 90,482 during the first two months of the fiscal year. This represents an increase of nearly 55 percent over the 58,439 apprehended in the same period last year. The apprehensions trended upward during the first two months with 42,762 in October and 47,720 in November. The trend is expected to continue in December as large migrant groups continue to cross in large numbers.

The Rio Grande Valley, Laredo, and Big Bend Sectors all reported decreases in apprehensions during the first two months of the year. The Rio Grande Valley Sector reported 56,118 migrant apprehensions. This was followed by 10,280 in the Laredo Sector and 2,797 in the Big Bend Sector. Officials in the RGV sector reported a new trend of large migrant groups crossing into the Brownsville Station area of responsibility.

Single adults accounted for 185,464 of the migrant apprehensions during the first two months — up 44 percent from last year. Family units and unaccompanied minors represented 61,856 and 19,018 apprehensions respectively.