Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz, head of the U.S. Border Patrol, is praising his agents after they captured a slew of deadly drugs, ten sex offenders, and other illegal migrants wanted for serious crimes in only three days. They also rescued almost two dozen migrants from dangerous situations.
“Extremely Proud!” Ortiz tweeted as he listed the achievements of his agents. Chief Ortiz emphasized that his agents had stopped 26 pounds of heroin, 13 pounds of methamphetamine, and 131 pounds of fentanyl in the three days. Fentanyl has been blamed for increasing overdose deaths across the country and is 50-100 times more potent than morphine.
Border agents also stopped three gang members; a fugitive wanted for murder, one “assassination suspect,” and ten sex offenders from entering the U.S. Border Patrol agents regularly pick up migrants who are members of gangs like MS-13 and have sex crime convictions. These migrants often travel among large groups of migrants to remain undetected. Both had already previously been deported.
Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) also detailed how Del Rio agents picked up a migrant who was previously convicted of statutory rape and one with a prior conviction of sexual assault in Washington. They detailed these in a separate release.
Ortiz said that agents had encountered a staggering 2,446 migrants, 18 large groups, and conducted 22 water rescues during the three days. Additionally, three agents were assaulted while working, said Ortiz.
Confusion amid record migrant numbers
The statistics illustrate the sheer number of illegal migrants agents encounter every day during the ongoing crisis at the southern border. In April, there were over 234,000 migrant encounters at the southern border. Officials warn that the numbers of migrants could increase as the summer months approach, despite the blazing temperatures migrants will face.
“Numbers could rise further. From confusion over recent court orders and as smugglers continue to peddle misinformation to make a profit: we are prepared,” said Mayorkas.
However, former Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott blasted the Biden administration for ignoring what he emphasized is a rapidly growing national security crisis on the southern border. “There’s no effort to secure the border and figure out who and what’s coming in when you create a chaotic situation like this, and they have created this through their policies.”
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol agents have encountered 1,219,920 undocumented migrants in 2022. If Title 42 is rescinded, agents expect a flood of migrants crossing the border, estimated at 18,000 per day. Title 42 is a health order prompted by the coronavirus pandemic that allows the United States to turn away undocumented asylum-seeking migrants.
The Department of Justice recently announced it would appeal a decision handed down by a judge that blocked the Biden administration from ending Title 42. However, the DHS has not filed an official appeal yet.
