U.S. Customs and Border Patrol report the months of August and September had the most Southwest border apprehensions since 2010, with by far the most arrests occurring in our RGV sector. In fiscal 2016, which ended in September, total arrests of family units were 77,674. Of those, 52,005 were in the RGV.
That’s more than in 2014, when the immigration surge began and when the national and international spotlight on immigration first highlighted McAllen and its RGV Sector.
In October, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson pledged the following: “We continue to work closely with our federal partners and the governments in the region, and are pleased with the $750 million Congress approved in FY 2016 for support and aid to Central America. We urge Congress to provide additional resources in FY 2017.”
But after Donald Trump was elected president — and who is rumored will replace Johnson — Johnson apparently cut aerial resources here rather than add resources. He cut forces across the Southwest border with Mexico, as part of a program known as Operation Phalanx, according to a letter issued last week by three Texas elected officials questioning this.
