DEL RIO, Texas — On Thursday, more than 500 mostly Haitian and Venezuelan migrants were detained outdoors near the banks of the Rio Grande, according to a source within U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The migrants were held under the Del Rio International Bridge which serves as the gateway to Ciudad Acuna, Mexico.
The source says the flow of migrants from Haiti, Venezuela, and Cuba are straining the Border Patrol’s resources–making efficient transport, processing, and housing, a near impossibility. The large groups are crossing almost daily and constitute most apprehensions made by Border Patrol in Del Rio.
More than 2,000 Haitian, Venezuelan, and Cuban migrants surrendered to the Border Patrol in the area during a recent one-week time span.
Border Patrol must free up detention space through transfers to other facilities or by releasing migrants to nonprofit shelters. Either option requires buses and drivers, which are in short supply.
Mexico is attempting to hold back the Haitian, Cuban, and Venezuelan migrants in the southern state of Chiapas by withholding immigration travel documents until refugee claims are processed.
Despite Mexico’s attempts, hundreds are still arriving almost daily in Ciudad Acuna, opposite Del Rio, Texas. CBP sources say the migrants waste little time there before crossing to Texas.
The Del Rio Sector leads the nation in the apprehension of Haitian and Venezuelan nationals — accounting for 69 percent of total arrests for these nationalities. The sector is ranked second in the nation for total migrant apprehensions, behind the Rio Grande Valley.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
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