U.S. Border Patrol agents saw their "busiest recent day" in apprehensions at the border near El Paso, Texas, on Memorial Day, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency said on Tuesday.
While residents were "commemorating the men and women who died in military service for the United States on Memorial Day," CBP said, "Border Patrol Agents were busier than ever taking into custody more than 2,200 illegal aliens who entered the country illegally."
According to the agency, Monday was the "busiest recent day of enforcement activity" for El Paso Sector Border Patrol agents "during the ongoing influx" of asylum seekers arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border.
CBP said the 2,200 apprehensions included two large groups and "many smaller ones," with many of the groups being largely comprised of Central American families and unaccompanied children.
"By the end of the day, the El Paso Sector Agents had apprehended over 2,200 illegal aliens with 1,850 of those being taken into custody in the geographic area between Executive Boulevard and Midway Street in El Paso," the agency said.
All the people arrested by Border Patrol agents were taken into custody for processing, including initial medical screenings, the agency said, adding that they are expected to remain in the agency's custody until they have been processed.
In recent months, U.S. immigration officials have seen a surge in the number of asylum seekers arriving at the border, with the majority of the influx being attributed to families and unaccompanied children.
Since the fiscal year began in October to April, U.S. Border Patrol had apprehended at least 460,294 migrants at the southwest border. According to CBP, since the fiscal year began, the El Paso Sector alone has arrested over 130,000 migrants at the border, compared to more than 16,000 apprehended during the same time last fiscal year.
"U.S. Border Patrol Agents continue to deal with this influx of illegal aliens entering our country with no respect for our immigration laws," the agency said in a statement. "The numbers continue to rise and agents see no end in sight for this current situation."
Despite the influx of arrivals at the border, CBP vowed that "the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol will continue to uphold the oath they made to this county by apprehending all of those who attempt to enter our country illegally."
Immigration advocates have repeatedly pointed out that regardless of how migrants and asylum seekers arrive in the U.S., many have fled violence, persecution and political and economic instability in their home countries.
With large groups of families arriving at the border, immigration officials have repeatedly warned that they are at "breaking point" in their capacity to deal with the surge in arrivals.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Chantal Da Silva is Chief Correspondent at Newsweek, with a focus on immigration and human rights. She is a Canadian-British journalist whose work ... Read more
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