TUCSON, Ariz. (ChurchMilitant.com) – Illegal immigration in Tucson is out of control, forcing Border Patrol to call for reinforcements.
Border Patrol agents in Douglas, Arizona, were called upon to help with “processing and transportation support” in Tucson, according to a memo obtained by The Daily Caller.
A Department of Homeland Security official told the news source, “This is embarrassing. Everybody is getting pulled off the line for processing.” According to the report, “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.”
Tucson leadership wrote in a Monday email to agents obtained by The Washington Examiner, “This morning we had more than 5,000 people in custody — far more than our holding capacity.” It was also revealed that more than 100,000 illegal immigrants have been taken in since October, with over 15,000 in just the past week.
“This surge poses immense challenges, requiring an all-hands-on-deck posture to staff vital positions with security, transportation, casework and triage,” the email continued. “To that end, all training, to include use of force, firearms qualifications, and K9, is canceled for the remainder of this week.”
Journalist Ali Bradley reported on Monday, “The I-19 Border Patrol checkpoint out of Nogales is closed as of yesterday because there aren’t enough agents to respond to the migrant surge in the Tucson Sector.”
John Modlin — chief patrol agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector — posted Sunday on X, “In light of the ongoing migration surge, all Tucson Sector Border Patrol social media accounts will be temporarily reduced to maximize our available staffing in support of our current operational challenges.”
He continued, “At this time, all available personnel are needed to address the unprecedented flow. The social media team will return once the situation permits.”
Agents have been taken away from field patrols and monitoring checkpoints, posing an even greater risk of migrants entering the country unencumbered. Over 370,000 illegal immigrants were apprehended in the Tucson sector in the fiscal year 2023. New statistics from the U.S. House revealed that U.S. taxpayers provide $451 billion per year for housing and care of illegal immigrants.
