by Jennie Taer
Border Patrol facilities that are holding migrants are largely over capacity at the southern border days ahead of the end of a Trump-era expulsion order, Title 42, according to an internal document the Daily Caller News Foundation exclusively obtained from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official.
As of early Friday, Border Patrol had more than 20,000 migrants in custody, most of which are down south, according to the document. The document showed that seven southern border sectors are over 100% capacity.
Title 42 is set to end May 11 and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says the department expects to see an influx of migrants crossing the southern border after that date.
Arizona’s Tucson sector at 154% capacity, while Texas’ El Paso sector is at 122% capacity, according to the document.
“We’re already getting hammered,” a Border Patrol agent working along the southern border, who requested anonymity because they’re not authorized to speak publicly, told the DCNF.
“Agents are being pulled of the line again to work at the tents. We have no agents in the field again other than transport and buses,” the agent added.
More than 66% of those in custody were single adults, according to the document.
The Biden administration says it’s preparing to mitigate the expected influx of migrants after May 11 and recently announced it would erect processing centers in Central America.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Jennie Taer is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “U.S. Border Patrol Agents Conduct Intake of Illegal Border Crossers at the Central Processing Center in McAllen, Texas” by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
