Border Patrol officials estimate approximately 590,000 migrants got away without being apprehended after illegally crossing the border. This estimate, described as “extremely conservative,” represents about a seven percent increase over the same period last year.
According to a source operating under the umbrella of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol officials estimate nearly 590,000 migrants got away without being apprehended since October 1, 2022. During the same period last year, agents reported approximately 550,000 got-aways.
Migrant “got-aways” are an estimate of migrants that are observed crossing the border and are not apprehended. A good number of these are detected by Border Patrol agents being out in the field to make these observations. Some others are observed crossing by camera operators or other detection equipment but no agents are available to make the apprehension. Still others are part of larger groups where only a certain number of the group were apprehended.
The El Paso Sector led the nation with approximately in August with approximately 8,000 got-aways. This was followed by more than 4,500 in the Tucson Sector and 3,500 in the San Diego Sector.
The source reported nearly 26,000 got-aways in August.
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In some sectors like the Rio Grande Valley and Del Rio Sectors, officials reported approximately 1,400 and 2,500 respectively. These lower numbers could be a result of overcrowded detainment and processing centers that take agents off the line, the source stated.
The source reports that Border Patrol is holding approximately 20,000 migrants per day in detention and processing centers. This requires extra manpower to feed, care for, and transport these migrants. Also, large migrant group crossings tend to tie up all available resources in order to get the migrants out of the potentially deadly heat along the southwest border in the summer months.
The lower got-away numbers are contrasted by the migrant apprehension rate which approached 180,000 in August, Breitbart Texas reported. The Tucson Sector led the nine southwest border sectors with just under 48,000 migrant apprehensions. This was followed closely by the Rio Grande Valley Sector’s apprehension of slightly more than 46,000 migrants.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.
Editor’s Note: The apprehension numbers reported for August 2023 come from unofficial Border Patrol reports obtained by Breitbart Texas. CBP officials will release official numbers in about two weeks.