Federal agents apprehended a large group of illegal immigrants in the early morning of August 18, 2019 in a New Mexico desert.
The 190 plus illegal immigrants in this group were comprised primarily of Central American families and unaccompanied juveniles.
At 3 a.m. agents encountered the group illegally entering the United States at the Camp Bounds Forward Operating Base adjacent to the Antelope Wells Port of Entry. The majority of the illegal immigrants in this group were from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.
During initial medical screening, a 7-year-old child traveling with a parent was diagnosed with a high fever and was transported to a hospital by helicopter for immediate treatment. The child was diagnosed with the flu and has since been released from the hospital and returned to U. S. Border Patrol custody. During initial medical screenings other individuals were diagnosed with lice or scabies.
Though recent monthly figures show a decrease in apprehensions, the U.S. Border Patrol continues to arrest high numbers of illegal immigrants entering the United States compared to last year. This high number of apprehensions continue to present a challenge to border operations as this remains a national security and humanitarian crisis.
