TUCSON, ARIZONA – The U.S. Border Patrol in Tucson, Arizona, made a startling announcement on Saturday, revealing that they had apprehended a staggering 10,000 illegal immigrants in the past week alone, marking a significant increase of approximately 1,000 from the previous week.

Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent John Modlin took to social media to report the alarming statistics, stating that his team had intercepted a total of 10,000 individuals attempting to enter the country illegally. Additionally, they foiled 21 human smuggling attempts within the Tucson, Arizona, border area.

The surge in illegal immigration has brought about other concerning incidents.

During their operations, Tucson agents made 11 seizures of narcotics, including a concerning find of 6 pounds of fentanyl, a highly potent and dangerous opioid, along with an equal amount of methamphetamine.

The agents also seized three firearms during their efforts to secure the border.

One particularly alarming discovery was the confiscation of $83,000 worth of fentanyl pills found by vigilant Nogales Station agents.

The illicit drugs were hidden inside an abandoned backpack, carefully concealed underneath the rear seat of a passenger shuttle van.

The interception occurred during a secondary inspection, which highlights the dedication and diligence of the border agents in their ongoing efforts to curb drug smuggling activities.

The authorities also revealed a humanitarian aspect of their operations. Chief Modlin disclosed that his team had managed to rescue 430 illegal immigrants who had fallen victim to the sweltering summer heat of the Arizona desert.

Among those saved was a 45-year-old Guatemalan woman, who had crossed the border in the treacherous Baboquivari Mountains on July 21.

The woman suffered from severe dehydration and a leg injury, illustrating the life-threatening risks that illegal immigrants face during their perilous journey.

“After providing lifesaving aid, #BORSTAR agents litter-carried the woman through rigorous terrain to meet [Arizona Department of Public Safety] for an airlift to a hospital,” Mr. Modlin shared on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

He emphasized the life-threatening nature of the desert heat, where temperatures routinely soar above 100 degrees, leading to heat exhaustion and dehydration in a matter of minutes.

“The dangers are real, do not cross,” Chief Modlin urged in a strong warning to potential illegal immigrants considering making the dangerous journey through the desert.

Recent events have demonstrated a stark increase in the number of illegal border crossings within the Tucson Sector.

Last month alone, Tucson Sector agents apprehended a total of 24,360 migrants attempting to enter the country illegally.

The year-to-date total for the sector has reached a staggering 235,000 apprehensions, a notable increase of 40,000 from the previous year and significantly higher than the statistics from the past two years.

According to reports from Breitbart Texas, the surge in apprehensions in Arizona can be partially attributed to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star.

Launched in 2021, the border protection initiative aims to address the dangerous gaps created by President Joe Biden’s perceived open-border policies.

However, a glimmer of hope can be found in the June Nationwide Encounters Report from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which reported a drop in illegal immigrant apprehensions of over 11 percent compared to the previous year.

Governor Abbott’s office cited this data to assert that states like Texas, which have adopted stringent deterrence strategies, are successfully holding the line against illegal immigration.

In contrast, states like Arizona, following President Biden’s approach, appear to be experiencing an influx of migrants due to their perceived leniency on immigration policies.

The Texas governor’s press secretary, in response to the situation, stated that “increased apprehensions in border states west of Texas show our deterrence strategies are effective, as migrants choose to illegally cross in states that have left the door wide open for them.”

Authorities at the Tucson, Arizona, border remain vigilant in their efforts to secure the nation’s borders and address the challenges posed by illegal immigration and criminal activities.

The recent spike in apprehensions underscores the need for comprehensive and coordinated measures to tackle the complex issue of illegal immigration while ensuring the safety and well-being of both migrants and the citizens of the United States.

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NTD News