Memorial Day is a time for friends and family to get together, have fun, and remember those who gave their lives for our freedom.
But this Memorial Day there was far more than barbeques and camping going on at the southern border.
And Border Patrol agents were kept busy over Memorial Day weekend as these shocking numbers show.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), over the three-day Memorial Day weekend, 1,377 illegal border-crossers were apprehended.
Additionally, Border Patrol agents discovered nearly 50-pounds of narcotics, two murderers, and two sex offenders.
Over the weekend…
•43 lbs. of Narcotics (Cocaine, Meth, Fentanyl)
•9 Large Groups, totaling 1,377 migrants
•4 Warrants
•2 Sex Offenders
•A 2nd Degree Murder Conviction
Agents work around the clock to keep our communities safe.#USBP #BorderPatrol#HonorFirst pic.twitter.com/gGmMS7hZ6R— Chief Raul Ortiz (@USBPChief) May 31, 2022
“Agents work around the clock to keep our communities safe,” CBP Chief Raul Ortiz tweeted.
The dozens of pounds of drugs included a mix of cocaine, meth, and fentanyl.
President Joe Biden’s crisis on the southern border has been a prominent contributor to the American opioid epidemic that is destroying individual lives, families, and entire communities.
CBP statistics from 2021 show Border agents encountered a record-high 2,033,863 illegal aliens trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border last year.
Comparatively, there were only 341,519 southwest border apprehensions in 2017, Trump’s first year in office.
Also in 2021, agents seized $3.31 billion in counterfeit goods – including more than 319,000 pounds of marijuana, more than 190,000 pounds of methamphetamine, and more than 97,000 pounds of cocaine.
The situation hasn’t improved in 2022
In January of this year, Border Patrol agents encountered 153,941 illegals-far outpacing January of 2021.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in February, the Border Patrol caught 164,973 illegal aliens at the southern border.
That is more than a 60% surge from February 2021, which saw 101,099 encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border.
In March, 210,000 illegal aliens were stopped at the border – a 24% year-over-year surge.
As for April, Border Patrol agents encountered 234,088 illegals – a new single-month high.
According to a report from the New York Post, 110,207 migrants were released into the interior of the U.S. last month – 68% more than 65,771 who were turned loose in March.
Of the April total, 88,452 were classified as “applicants for admission” under parole, while 21,755 were given notices to appear before an immigration judge at a future date.
The fact is, the number of illegals crossing our border and then let free into the country has increased more than 11-fold under President Biden.
Discovery from a lawsuit by the state of Texas against the Biden Administration reveals Border Patrol facilities were at 203% capacity in April while Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities were using approximately 68.5% of their capacity.
The future isn’t looking brighter
Meanwhile, officials at the border are preparing for the worst and trying to put on a brave face as the fate of Biden’s overturning of the Trump-era Title 42 policy is being decided.
“While we will likely see an increase in encounters after the CDC’s Title 42 public health Order ends, I have a great degree of confidence that the dedicated men and women of CBP and our multiple agency partners will meet this challenge,” CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus said. “After many months of planning, we are executing a comprehensive strategy to safely, orderly, and humanely manage our borders. CBP is surging personnel and resources to the border, increasing processing capacity, securing more ground and air transportation, and increasing medical supplies, food, water, and other resources to ensure a humane environment for those being processed, screened, and vetted.”
