This week, United States Customs and Border Protection announced the arrest of more than 400 illegal immigrants from two separate caravans within five minutes of each other early Tuesday morning.
According to a press release issued by CBP, "agents encountered the first group of 194 illegal crossers at approximately 2:45 a.m. The group was encountered by agents at the border wall just west of Bowie High School. Just five minutes later at 2:50 a.m., agents working farther west encountered a second group of 252 people who crossed illegally near Downtown El Paso."
According to the agency, Border Patrol agents are averaging 570 arrests of illegal aliens every day with 90% of these apprehensions occurring in El Paso, TX. The press release notes that from the 430 arrested Tuesday morning, the vast majority were "primarily...Central American families and unaccompanied juveniles."
This report comes as other Border Patrol stations have announced the release of hundreds of illegal aliens from detention centers due to overcapacity. The Pilot Online reports that in McAllen, TX, "The Border Patrol released 250 migrants...on Tuesday and Wednesday and expects to free hundreds more in coming days because there is no room to hold them."
The Pilot adds, "Normally, the agency would transfer the migrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be “processed” and in many cases placed in detention facilities. But officials said Wednesday that a recent influx of Central American families has led to a severe shortage of space."
Authorities announced earlier this month that Central American migrant caravans have continued as authorities apprehended more than 75,000 illegal aliens at the border in February 2019. Officials expect this trend to continue.
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