Border Patrol: El Paso Sector agents apprehend more than 1,700 migrants in 1 day

Thursday was one of the busiest days for the El Paso Sector Border Patrol in recent history after agents encountered four large groups, eventually apprehending more than 1,700 undocumented immigrants.

The first of the large groups was encountered just after midnight near the Paso del Norte Port of Entry indowntown El Paso, totaling 250 immigrants.

The second group was encountered about an hour later just east of the Bridge of the Americas, which consisted of 195 people.

In the bootheel of New Mexico, a third large group made entry around 2 a.m. Border Patrol Agents working near the Antelope Wells port of entry encountered 218 undocumented immigrants in that group.

The fourth large group of the day came in right before midnight just east of Mount Cristo Rey in Sunland Park, New Mexico and consisted of 302 people.

The Border Patrol said the large groups included families and unaccompanied children from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

All of the immigrants were taken into custody and screened for medical issues. The Border Patrol said they will all remain in U.S. Border Patrol custody until they are processed accordingly.

This fiscal year to date, agents in the El Paso Sector have arrested more than 109,000 undocumented immigrants compared to only 14,000 during the same time last fiscal year.