Over 430 Illegal Immigrants Captured in 5 Minutes By Texas Border Agents
CBP apprehends two large groups as they rush weak spots on Southern Border
© press
Border agents in El Paso, Texas managed to capture over 430 illegal immigrants with the space of five minutes on Tuesday as two large groups of migrants flooded unsecured areas of the Southern Border.
Agents near the wall just west of Bowie High School in El Paso apprehended a group of 194 illegals around 2:45 a.m, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Just five minutes later, agents snagged a second group of 245 illegal aliens near downtown El Paso.
The groups were mostly comprised of families and unaccompanied minors from Central America, Texas CBP reported.
#BorderPatrol agents apprehended 2 large groups within 5 minutes of one another in El Paso Sector early this morning. The groups totaled 430 individuals—mostly Central American families and unaccompanied children. https://t.co/PaXLjnqhgL pic.twitter.com/ZH9k05Kndl
— CBP (@CBP) March 20, 2019
Officials said that in all, more than 430 people had been taken in near the El Paso Sector Border Patrol, just three hours into the day.
That single specific port of entry averages around 570 illegal alien apprehensions a day.
“In all, agents had already taken over 430 people into custody within the first three hours in what appears to be only the beginning of another busy day for the El Paso Sector Border Patrol,” the agency wrote in the press release.
“These numbers continue to stretch the resources available to the U.S. Border Patrol to deal with this influx and the challenges that come with it.”
© press
According to the Daily Wire, earlier this month, CBP’s chief of operations, Brian Hastings, said at a press conference that the agency had apprehended 66,000 in the month of February.
Further, he said there had been a staggering 268,000 apprehensions since October 2018, which he said was a 97% increase over the previous fiscal year.
“October 2018 marked the first time in our history that family units exceeded single adult apprehensions, and in February of 2019 family units and unaccompanied children accounted for 65% of all Border Patrol apprehensions,” he said.
In January, CBP Arizona released footage of more than 100 illegal immigrants attempting to climb the southern border in Yuma.
"On Monday #CBP #YumaSector Border Patrol agents apprehended a group of 110+ Central Americans who illegally scaled the wall with the assistance of a smuggler with a ladder," CBP Arizona tweeted.
On Monday #CBP #YumaSector Border Patrol agents apprehended a group of 110+ Central Americans who illegally scaled the wall with the assistance of a smuggler with a ladder #NationalSecurity #SouthwestBorder pic.twitter.com/T19JzI3xeC
— CBP Arizona (@CBPArizona) January 23, 2019
This video was released a week after border patrol agents in the Grand Canyon State turned themselves in after being discovered tunneling underneath the border wall.
Many used the seven holes that were dug to travel under the fence, while some scaled the wall.
© press
In all, 376 illegal immigrants were apprehended at that time – including 179 children.
Thirty of those children were unaccompanied. ABC News reported at the time that 80% of total apprehensions are parents with children, most of whom turn themselves in and claim asylum.
Illegal crossings are reportedly down significantly since a peak in 2001, but the changes in demographics create a host of new issues for border patrol and the United States, including clogging the asylum process with half-baked claims made after apprehension instead of using the appropriate asylum-seeking channels.
