For the first time, more immigrants illegally crossing the southern border of the United States came from countries other than Mexico. Central Americans from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras accounted for 239,229 of the FY 2014 apprehensions while the number of Mexican nationals being apprehended during the year was 229,178.
The numbers reflect a continuing change in the demographics of illegal immigrants according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report obtained by Breitbart Texas. The apprehension of Mexican nationals actually fell by fourteen percent compared to FY 2013. However, the apprehension of what DHS refers to as OTMs (Other Than Mexicans) rose by sixty-eight percent. The OTM apprehensions were predominately from Central America.
An unnamed official for the Obama Administration told the Washington Times this is the first time on record that border authorities have apprehended more non-Mexicans than Mexicans at the border.
Out of a total of 486,651 nationwide apprehensions, only 18,244 came from countries other than Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. The report states that nearly all of the total apprehensions came along the southwestern U.S./Mexico border region.
Mexican nationals continued to lead all other illegal immigrant groups with 229,178 being apprehended. This accounts for over forty-seven percent of the total apprehensions. Mexicans were followed by Hondurans with 91,475; Guatemalans with 81,116; and El Salvadorians with 66,638.
These numbers are also reflective of the surge of unaccompanied minors into the United States from Central America that was reported on extensively by Breitbart Texas during the summer of 2014. In June, Breitbart Texas Managing Director Brandon Darby broke the news that shocked the world when he released a leaked document showing thousands of unaccompanied minors being held in inhumane conditions in DHS detention facilities in South Texas. In July, Sara Rumpf reported that 30,000 unaccompanied minors had been released to family members across the United States. Last month, this writer released a leaked Houston Independent School District report revealing that this single school district was taking care of 3,000 unaccompanied minor students.
Bob Price is a senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas and a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.
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