Agents apprehend 10K people illegally coming in through Tucson, Arizona
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The U.S. Border Patrol, Tucson Sector in Arizona apprehended 10,000 people illegally crossing the border last week — marking a 1,000-person increase from the previous week — according to Chief Patrol Agent John R. Modlin.
U.S. Border Patrol agents reported a significant increase in activity at the Tucson border area and disrupted 21 human smuggling events, according to Modlin’s tweet Friday and confirmed by Fox News Digital.
Most of the migrants illegally crossing were adult men, one Border Patrol agent told Fox News Digital Monday.
Authorities at the Nogales Station said they also recovered $83,000 worth of fentanyl pills, six pounds of meth and three firearms. More than 400 illegal migrants were also reportedly rescued by Border Patrol agents due to the brutal Arizona heat.
Border Patrol agents apprehend illegal immigrants and a smuggler in Arizona Feb. 5, 2023. (Customs and Border Protection)
"The unforgiving desert heat can be life-threatening. With temperatures soaring well above 100°, it only takes minutes for heat exhaustion and dehydration to set in," Modlin said. "Those attempting to cross the border illegally underestimate the intensity of the heat and vastness of the desert."
One of those victims who needed assistance "from severe dehydration and a leg injury" was a 45-year-old Guatemalan woman rescued in the Baboquivari Peak mountains, about 50 miles southwest of Tucson.
"After providing lifesaving aid, #BORSTAR agents litter-carried the woman through rigorous terrain to meet @Arizona_DPS for an airlift to a hospital," Modlin tweeted Friday.
The influx of migrants came as the termination of Title 42, the pandemic-era policy that halted asylum at the border, ended two months ago. The Biden administration also implemented a new rule further restricting asylum eligibility.
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Border Patrol make fentanyl bust in San Clemente, California. (U.S. Border Patrol)
Border Patrol agents in the Tucson sector managed to apprehend 24,360 migrants attempting to illegally cross the border in June. This brought the year-to-date total for the sector to 235,000 apprehensions, marking a notable increase of 40,000 compared to the previous year.
Amid the rising apprehension numbers and the ongoing efforts to address border security, Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema—a former Democrat before registering as an independent last year—included two of her bipartisan bills targeting cartels' smuggling activities involving weapons, individuals, and drugs like fentanyl in the annual National Defense Authorization Act last week.
Migrants at the front of the line are processed for entry by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. (Jon Michael Raasch/Fox News Digital)
"I’m committed to keeping Arizona communities safe and secure by stopping dangerous cartels from smuggling drugs across the border," Sinema said in a statement Monday. "Our bipartisan bills crack down on the flow of fentanyl, help stop human smuggling, and give Arizona families peace of mind."
Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.
