The number of Central American migrants seeking asylum in the United States rose nearly 900% in the last five years; raising serious questions over America’s immigration policy and the security along the US-Mexico border.
According to the Washington Examiner, those seeking asylum status from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador rose from 8,519 in 2012 to more than 76,000 in 2017; a staggering increase of 892%.
“The asylum claims come from the three countries responsible for most of the immigrants into the United States over the Mexican border. The claims initially began to jump as violence increased in those countries but picked up steam as immigrants saw it as an easy way into the U.S,” writes the Examiner.
The stunning statistics come just hours after President Trump signed an executive order ceasing “family separations” along the border; providing a temporary fix while urging Congress to pass a lasting, bipartisan immigration deal.
Read the full report at the Washington Examiner.
BORDER CHAOS: 55 Immigrants Discovered in a Single Tractor-Trailer in TEXAS
Nearly 60 individuals -including children- were discovered in San Antonio, Texas late Tuesday evening crammed into a single tractor-trailer; raising serious questions over how the immigrants were able to successfully cross the US-Mexico border.
According to MySanAntonio News, authorities from multiple federal and local agencies descended on the south Texas town Tuesday night after the trailer was discovered in a quiet residential neighborhood.
About 40 people suspected to be undocumented immigrants, being searched one by one and then loaded into SAPD van. It seems they came here in this semi trailer which is surrounded by investigators. We're in an alley off of Broadway, near the San Antonio International Airport. pic.twitter.com/LwqhW2cG8r
— Deven Clarke (@DevenClarke) June 13, 2018
“KSAT-TV reports that authorities from several agencies were called to a North Side neighborhood around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday and found 55 people suspected of entering the country illegally in and around a tractor-trailer,” writes MySA.
“This truck was air-conditioned, thank God. This truck had water. So they were hydrated,” said San Antonio Fire Department Chief Charles Hood, adding that at least five immigrants were rushed to a nearby hospital.
Read the full story here.
BORDER CHAOS: National Guard Helps Border Patrol ARREST 1,600 More Migrants
Federal authorities and Border Patrol Agents have arrested an additional 1,600 illegal immigrants attempting to enter the United States since President Trump deployed the National Guard to the region just weeks ago.
According to new statistics released by the CBP and Pentagon officials, the troops were able to assist federal authorities in cracking down on illegal border crossings into the US; freeing up agents to focus on human and drug trafficking into the country.
“Those folks are giving us the additional situational awareness in the radio rooms … which are allowing the Border Patrol agents sitting in those areas to go into the field,” said one official.
“As a reminder, these guardsmen are not carrying out law enforcement duties,” he added.
President Trump made national headlines last month when he announced his decision to deploy the National Guard to the US-Mexico border; vowing to crackdown on illegal immigration until his signature border wall is permanently funded.