In what is reportedly the largest group of single immigrants to surrender at Eagle Pass, Texas, a single group of 704 immigrants crossed the border from the Rio Grande river and surrendered to authorities.
The group, which mainly consisted of Cuban nationals, crossed into the United States just after 3 a.m. on Dec. 8. They had walked to a busy highway about one mile away from the river.
Sources: Two Border Patrol agents working in Eagle Pass, Texas, tell me a single group of more than 700 migrants crossed the border last night. pic.twitter.com/drCWxWytAJ
— Anna Giaritelli (@Anna_Giaritelli) December 9, 2022
According to the CBP, the migrants included 510 single adults, 182 members of family units and 12 children who came unaccompanied. Of the single adults, 320 were male, while the rest were female.
The CBP also shared that 535 of the migrants are Cuban nationals, while 74 are from Nicaragua, 31 are from the Dominican Republic, five are from Peru, three are from Ecuador, and 49 are from Columbia. The last three came from Mexico.
A source within CBP shared that most of the migrants are seeking asylum, according to Breitbart. As revealed by the source, most of them will be released into the United States. In the meantime, officers took the entire group to a nearby Border Patrol processing facility.
The Del Rio Sector is known to be the second busiest sector for migrants crossing into the U.S. Authorities apprehended 48,000 migrants in the sector in November. Within a one-week period ending Dec. 3, they apprehended almost 10,000 migrants within the sector. That same week, more than 4,000 people managed to enter the country without getting caught by patrol officers.
The increase in migrants is an increasingly difficult situation for the Border Patrol, who cannot perform efficient routine patrols within a sector that is often crowded. Most patrol agents are now assigned to see to the processing, transportation and humanitarian care of the migrants surrendering in increasingly large numbers. Hence, there aren’t enough officials to detect and pursue migrants who attempt to elude authorities.
In response to the rise in illegal immigration, Gov. Greg Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in 2021. Under the operation, DPS troopers arrest migrants suspected of illegally crossing the border on trespassing charges. With the help of Border Patrol agents, the operation has led to the arrest of over 350 people caught trespassing.
Abbott has said taking over immigration enforcement cost Texas taxpayers more than $4 billion in less than two years. He blamed President Biden’s lenient policies for the skyrocketing trespassing migrants who are mostly apprehended on rail yards or private ranch land.
