CBP: Apprehension of migrant families in EP sector increases 1,588% so far this fiscal year

The apprehension of unaccompanied migrant children and family units has increased dramatically along the Southwest border and the El Paso sector, according to new numbers released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

On Friday, CBP said Border Patrol agents continue to encounter an unprecedented “high volume of families and unaccompanied children from Central America” attempting to cross into the U.S.

The apprehension of migrant families has increased by 290% so far this fiscal year compared to the same period in FY 2018, CBP said. Border Patrol agents across the country have detained 99,901 families so far this fiscal year. During the same time period in FY 2018, agents detained 25,625 families. In the Southwest Border sector, agents detained 5,124 unaccompanied migrant children and 24,116 families.

In the El Paso sector alone, agents have encountered 3,856 unaccompanied migrant children so far in FY 2019, a 249% increase from the 1,105 unaccompanied migrant children detained during the same time period in FY 2018.

When it comes to family units, Border Patrol agents in the El Paso sector apprehended 25,710 family units so far in FY 2019, a 1,588% increase from the 1,523 families detained during the same time period in FY 2018.

For the month of January 2019 alone, agents in the El Paso sector detained 6,759 family units and 1,014 unaccompanied children, according to CBP’s website.

As of January 2019, Border Patrol agents encountered 58 large groups of 100 or more people in FY 2019 compared to 13 such groups during this same period in FY 2018.

“Family units and unaccompanied children from Central America are crossing the border illegally in greater numbers and in larger groups than ever before, straining our law enforcement resources,” said Brian Hastings, U.S. Border Patrol Chief of Operations. “These trends are very concerning and demonstrate the reality of the ongoing humanitarian and border security crisis.”

Thursday morning, U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Ajo Station in the Tucson sector encountered 325 Central Americans after the group illegally entered the country and surrendered to agents west of Lukeville. The group entered the country through an area where there is only a vehicle barrier designed to prevent crossings, CBP said.

Group members indicated that buses and trucks dropped them off throughout the night on Mexico’s Federal Highway 2. The highway parallels the U.S. border less than 50 yards from the area where they crossed. Once the entire group arrived, they crossed together at 8:00 a.m. to await authorities. The group consisted of individuals and family units from Central America and included nearly 150 juveniles, 32 of whom were unaccompanied.