EAGLE PASS, Texas (NewsNation) — Law enforcement at the southern border continues to deal with an influx of Venezuelan migrants, as large groups continue to cross the Rio Grande into Eagle Pass daily.
A group of approximately 200 migrants crossed and self-surrendered to Border Patrol Tuesday morning — the majority of them were from Venezuela and Cuba. They were transported on buses to a facility to be processed by agents where most of them will seek asylum.
Moments before that, NewsNation’s southwest correspondent Ali Bradley witnessed Border Patrol agents apprehend at least nine undocumented individuals who were trying to evade law enforcement.
The El Paso sector has seen more than 1,600 migrants on average daily for the last week.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed to NewsNation that, so far this fiscal year, there have been more than 570,000 gotaways — the fiscal year won’t end until October.
Once migrants are apprehended, the ones who are trying to evade will likely be removed. If the Texas Department of Public Safety is involved in the apprehension and it is part of Operation Lonestar, the individual can be prosecuted for trespassing.
Individuals who self-surrender will be processed and many will be released with reporting instructions, according to Border Patrol sources.
This all comes as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott continues to bus migrants to sanctuary cities after they’re released by Border Patrol — saying more than under his orders — Texas has bused more than 11,500 migrants.
More than 8,100 have been bused to Washington, D.C., more than 2,700 to NYC and more than 770 to Chicago.