Despite historically being the busiest sector for migrant apprehensions, the Rio Grande Valley sector is now facing a new challenge: a significant decrease in activity. Border Patrol agents continue to remain vigilant, though the number of encounters has drastically dropped.
Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley sector are facing new challenges as they work to secure the southern border. Once the busiest sector for migrant apprehensions, the area has seen a significant decrease in activity. Agents joined FOX 26 for an early morning ride-along, beginning at 5 a.m. The sector, which historically led in apprehensions, now ranks fifth. \'I would say it’s picked up a little bit.
Historically, the Rio Grande Valley sector has been number one in apprehensions, including in those apprehensions what we see a lot of is a lot of family units. What is a family unit? Migrants that consistent of mothers, fathers, and children, or just mother and children or father and children. We also see a lot of unaccompanied minors and juveniles, but currently we’re number five, so there’s been a decrease,' Christina Smallword, a Border Patrol agent, said.\Throughout the ride-along, agents remained vigilant, monitoring radio communications but encountering no apprehensions. Smallwood explained the role of cartels in organizing border crossings. \'There’s different trends at different times. We have to remember that nobody crosses this border. Nobody crosses the Rio Grande without paying. Who do they pay? The cartel. It’s a business they see migrants as a dollar sign,' Smallwood said. 'So all the crossings, all immigration, referring to that are cartel base and cartel organized. They are the ones who decide where these migrants will be crossing, their crossing points. Nobody crosses the Rio Grande without paying the cartel. It’s a business, and they see migrants as a dollar sign.'\According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, there have been over 56,500 encounters this fiscal year, with just over 5,000 from the Rio Grande Valley—a significant 84% decrease from the previous year’s 32,000 encounters
BORDER PATROL RIO GRANDE VALLEY MIGRANT APPREHENSIONS Cartels IMMIGRATION
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