Border Patrol agents overwhelmed, authorities catching large number of human smugglers from Houston
EAGLE PASS, Texas - Authorities at the U.S. - Mexico border say they continue to be overwhelmed by migrants crossing into the United States illegally. However, instead of migrants giving themselves up to law enforcement in the U.S. to seek asylum, migrants now are trying to stay hidden.
New surveillance video shared from a resident in Eagle Pass shows several migrants running from law enforcement outside homes. According to those that live in the neighborhood, it’s a daily occurrence.
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"We get people crossing daily by our house," said Priscilla Garcia. "There are some people coming for the benefit of the good, but there are some that come for the bad. It’s just those moments of walking out of your home of do you feel safe or not?"
While out with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Eagle Pass, we witnessed agents apprehend at least nine migrants near a train loading station. The train station was located about two miles into Texas. Agents say undocumented immigrants continue to try and hop on trains to ride them further into the United States.
"This is one of our challenge areas right now," said Deputy Patrol Agent George Cavazos, from Border Patrol’s Eagle Pass sector. "As soon as that train starts to roll out, we’ll see them run and try to jump into a train. It’s very dangerous. We’ve seen a lot of injures out here and a lot of deaths that have occurred from migrants either getting hit by a train, getting caught in-between the cars, or getting locked in a box car with the heat."
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Agents in Border Patrol's Del Rio sector are currently apprehending about 1,000 migrants a day. In comparison, that number last year, was roughly double.
"In my entire 27-year career this is the busiest it has ever been," said Chief Jason Owens from U.S. Border Patrol’s Del Rio Sector. "Now, we’re starting to see a shift back to trying to evade capture. We’re having to actually find the migrants and apprehend them, instead of them trying to find us."
Large piles of trash and clothes litter ranches near the border. In addition, signs tell those who cross illegally into the United States to follow a dirt road to find members of law enforcement. Officials say the signs, written in Spanish, help overwhelmed agents meet with those seeking asylum.
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However, this pattern seems to be shifting recently. Instead, of migrants seeking authorities in the U.S., they’re now trying to avoid them.
"Sometimes they are turning themselves in," said Cavazos. "A lot of times they’re turning against us."
According to Border Patrol agents in February, CBP reported more than 180 assaults on agents over the last five months.
"No matter what these men and women are faced with, they make you proud," said Chief Owens. "I wish the American people could see these men and women through my eyes, the things that I see every day that they’re responsible for. They’re still here. They’re still showing up every day and giving it all they’ve got."
"We’ve encountered all sorts of nationalities," said Orlando Fuentes, a supervisor with Border Patrol in Eagle Pass. "Chinese, Russians, you name it, we’ve probably caught it out here."
During our day with Border Patrol agents, a migrant’s lifeless body was pulled from the Rio Grande. Agents say, they recover several bodies every year from migrants who drowned while trying to cross into the United States.
"Last year, I think we had over 65 rescues in our unit alone," said Fuentes. "[Along with] between 30 and 35 body recoveries."
Border Patrol surveys the river using several boats. While the boats are meant to deter people from crossing into the United States, officials say that’s not always the case.
"The boats were designed to try and deter people from crossing," said Fuentes. "But, usually what the smugglers will tell them, if you see the boat, if you’re struggling, they’re going to help you."
In nearby Kinney County, authorities say human smugglers are overwhelming them.
"To put it politely, we’re getting our butts kicked," said Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe. "Every day, day in and out."
A rural area of Texas, Kinney County has a population of about 3,000 people. However, in February, Kinney County deputies were involved in at least 38 pursuits in just 28 days.
"It’s an invasion because we are being invaded," said Sheriff Coe. "Hundreds, thousands of people a month are pouring through my county unchecked [and] unaccounted for."
Sheriff Coe says they’ve recently caught human smugglers from New York, California, New Mexico, Nevada, and all major cities across Texas. However, in February, almost 40% of the captured human smugglers in Kinney County were from Houston.
"It’s the biggest city in the state," said Coe. "They’re being promised a $1,000, $2,000, $3,000 a person to get them down to Houston."
"[The human smugglers] are lured by the idea of an easy pay day," said Chief Owens. "What they don’t know is the criminal charges, the absolute ruining of their life, when we catch them."
Title 42 is expected to end in May. The policy was created in 2020 to regulate border crossings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to Chief Owens, his biggest concern is the uncertainty surrounding Title 42 ending and what that could mean for illegal crossings.
"When Title 42 goes away, it’s going to be a concern because of the false message that could get to the migrants who are waiting," said Chief Owens. "What concerns me is the false narrative that it’s okay to cross between the ports of entry again, and we start to see the high flow that criminals are able to take advantage of."