With the border crossings in Texas completely overrun, smugglers have a new favorite destination to traffic immigrants and illegal substances: Arizona.
The chief of the Tucson, Ariz., Sector Patrol reported that his officers detained more than 10,000 immigrants for the third consecutive week. In total, 12,992 arrests were made in the last seven days, and in September alone, more than 51,000 illegal crossings were recorded.
Week in Review…
- 12,992 Apprehensions
- 192 Rescues
- 127 Federal Criminal Cases
- 18 Human Smuggling Events
- 5 Narcotics Events
- 2 Firearms Seized pic.twitter.com/yGx0E1pyNN— John R. Modlin (@USBPChiefTCA) October 7, 2023
Tucson has become one of the most active sectors of the border in Arizona. The area recorded a 60% increase in illegal immigrant arrests in July (with a total of 39,215 immigrants). According to authorities, "Officials attribute the sudden influx to false advertising by smugglers who tell migrants it’s easier to cross here and get released into the United States."
Justin De La Torre, one of the heads of the Tucson Border Patrol, warned that the situation is "a real emergency" and said that they have been asking other federal agencies for some time to help transport immigrants "out of the elements and into our processing centers as quickly as possible."
Immigrants in cages
De La Torre's words serve as a warning for the situation in Tucson. Hundreds of illegal immigrants were held in cages under the sun in the Ajo sector near Tucson while waiting to be processed.
The former director of the ICE Field Office and member of the Board of Directors of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement (NICE), John Fabbricatore, posted videos and images of the situation and commented that officers are "overwhelmed" by the influx of immigrants, while the administration is "letting this happen with no support":
These videos went viral and generated controversy, as many users remembered when Democratic congressmen and officials criticized the Trump administration for similar border policies.
Right now in Ajo AZ Sector for the Border Patrol. Hundreds in custody on top of what was caught last night. Already getting reports of large numbers crossing and Border Patrol trying to respond. They are overwhelmed and this administration
is letting this happen with no support! pic.twitter.com/Kkqv3xq8h9— John Fabbricatore (@JohnE_Fabb) September 13, 2023
Arizona figures vs. Texas
Tucson's constantly increasing numbers are added to those of another border hot spot: El Paso, Texas, with the arrival of at least 2,000 people per day seeking asylum. Democratic Mayor Oscar Leeser declared that he does not have sufficient resources to deal with the situation, saying the city has reached "a breaking point."
The immigration crisis not only affects cities like El Paso, but is becoming a problem for the entire country. According to a report published last Friday by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), 304,162 people were captured or considered inadmissible by border agents during the month of August, marking a new record for the arrival of illegal immigrants under the Biden administration.
Meanwhile, nationwide migrant encounters stand at 2.5 million for this fiscal year, with two months still left to go. In July of this year, CBP reported 245,286 encounters nationwide, up from 238,929 last July.
