Massive influx of migrants crosses US-Mexico border on Saturday in search of asylum

As the year comes to an end, a massive influx of migrants is crossing the US-Mexico border, seeking asylum and a better life.

On Saturday, more than 600 people, mostly from Venezuela and Honduras, entered the US at Eagle Pass, Tex. This was the biggest group seen at the temporary transit centre, which has processed over 10,000 people in recent days.

The migrants started crossing before sunrise, gathering on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande. They then walked across the shallow water, using their cell phones as torches. Once they reached the US side, they followed a single-file path along the riverbank. They used blankets and coats to cover the concertina wire and climbed over it. They were greeted by state and federal agents who took them to a holding area for processing.

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Among the migrants was a little girl who wore a Santa hat, a red striped dress, and pink fluffy slippers. She was part of a family group of seven. Some migrants changed into dry clothes after crossing the river, leaving behind their wet garments.

Border surge escalates

This large-scale crossing came after US Customs and Border Protection officers encountered a record-breaking number of illegal immigrants on Monday. Over 12,600 people were apprehended along the border, the highest single-day total ever. Many asylum seekers are trying to enter the US before a new Texas law takes effect that could make such entries illegal.

In November, authorities encountered 242,418 illegal immigrants at the border, another record for the month. This followed the unprecedented fiscal year 2023, when nearly 2.5 million people were caught crossing the border illegally, along with an estimated 670,000 “gotaways” who avoided capture.

Meanwhile, at Tucson International Airport in Arizona, special lines were set up for “non-US citizens without passports” — meaning illegal immigrants with Department of Homeland Security paperwork instead of valid IDs — to board domestic flights without normal screening, according to Fox News reporter Bill Melugin.

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Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel criticized the administration’s announcement of November’s total, saying it was “an attempt to bury the news over the holidays.”

“The numbers don’t lie,” McDaniel said.

“Joe Biden created a humanitarian crisis at our border and is actively weakening our national security.”