“We noticed a surge we’ve never seen before,” Hidalgo County Water Control and Improvement District 3 President Othal Brand Jr. said.
The countries of origin of illegal immigrants crossing through the Rio Grande Valley have changed considerably in recent months, officials said.
Border Patrol officials said there has been a 91 percent increase in apprehensions of immigrants from countries other than Mexico. Agents arrest an average of 250 immigrants every day from countries other than Mexico, they said.
This year, agents have arrested 80,000 immigrants from countries other than Mexico.
The spike in illegal immigration has Border Patrol shifting resources to the Valley. Some residents and officials said the increase in manpower is good for the region.
“We noticed a surge we’ve never seen before,” Hidalgo County Water Control and Improvement District 3 President Othal Brand Jr. said.
Brand said his employees at the McAllen Pump Station near the river are constantly running into illegal immigrants.
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