Border agents see most migrant encounters in single day on record

(NewsNation) — Over 12,500 people were encountered Monday at the southern border — the highest number of encounters on record for a single day, U.S. Customs and Border Protection sources told NewsNation.

This comes as Eagle Pass, Texas saw record-breaking levels of illegal crossings — more than 4,000 in one day. That flow of people did not stop Tuesday — in the morning, there were more than 3,000 waiting along the border to be processed.

Surges in migration aren’t limited to Texas. NewsNation partner Border Report writes more than 90,000 asylum seekers have entered the U.S. through PedWest at the San Ysidro Port of Entry ever since the CBP One online app program began earlier this year.

December migrant encounters at the southern border are on track to exceed the number seen in November by 30%, sources confirmed to NewsNation Monday. In the first 17 days of November, CBP encountered roughly 130,000 migrants. During the first 17 days of December, meanwhile, CBP reported 37,000 more, or about 167,000 total.

Border patrol agents have said they are overwhelmed now as multiple sectors along the border are beyond capacity.

Troy Miller, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s acting commissioner, called the number of daily arrivals “unprecedented,” the Associated Press reported Tuesday.

“Our officers and agents are responding to large groups of migrants, which means that some of our agents aren’t on the line, not really monitoring for some of those cuts,” Miller said. “If we don’t have anybody to respond, then you’re going to see what you’re seeing.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.