Border Patrol called in reinforcements to help as agents grow increasingly overwhelmed by migrants in an area of southern Arizona, according to an internal Sunday message to agency officials obtained exclusively by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Border Patrol agents from the Douglas, Arizona, station are being called up to help agents at the Tucson migrant processing center, which temporarily holds migrants who illegally cross the border. Border Patrol has roughly 4,600 illegal migrants in custody as of Sunday evening in all of the Tucson sector compared to nearly 20,000 nationwide, two Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials, who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly, told the DCNF. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Chinese Pot Grows Are Taking Over Rural Blue State And Law Enforcement Isn’t Stopping Them)
The agents in Douglas are being called up for “processing and transportation support,” according to the memo. The assignments will also entail sending specialized units, such as horse patrols, and manning sensors for illegal aliens running from law enforcement.
“Until further notice, all specialty units (Sensors, HPU, BCL) will report to the Douglas Station and attend musters on their scheduled shifts,” the memo reads. “HPU will maintain one agent to care for the horses, but all others will be deployed as needed by the Watch Commander.”
The situation in the Tucson sector has become so dire that the Tucson Border Patrol announced Sunday it was temporarily shutting down its social media.
“At this time, all available personnel are needed to address the unprecedented flow,” John Modlin, Chief Patrol Agent of the Tucson Sector, tweeted late Sunday. “The social media team will return once the situation permits.”
Despite the social media shutdown, CBP said it is “committed to transparency,” in a statement to the DCNF.
“Border Patrol field leaders determine how to prioritize and best deploy personnel and resources under their command, including generating local social media content. CBP is always committed to transparency and accountability, and local social media accounts are only one tool we use to provide information to the public,” CBP said in a statement to the DCNF.
“While certain accounts managed by uniformed Agents at the local level may be utilized less frequently during this time, CBP will maintain its unwavering focus on sharing timely and accurate information with the public,” CBP added.
Internal Border Patrol memo obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation/Jennie Taer.
Internal Border Patrol memo obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation/Jennie Taer.
NEW: The Border Patrol’s Tucson sector has “paused” its social media accounts due to “an ongoing migration surge” pic.twitter.com/NiBwI6qSdG
— Jennie Taer 🇮🇱🇺🇸 (@JennieSTaer) November 26, 2023
Border Patrol has recorded record illegal immigration at the southern border in recent years. In fiscal year 2022, Border Patrol encounters topped 2.2 million, followed by more than 2 million in fiscal year 2023.
“This is embarrassing,” one of the DHS officials said, adding that the blame is on the Biden administration.
“Everybody is getting pulled off the line for processing,” the official added.
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