Massive group of hundreds of migrants streams across southern border as crisis intensifies
There were more than 13,000 migrant crossings in Del Rio Sector in a seven-day period
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A massive group of hundreds of illegal migrants streamed across the southern border in Texas on Wednesday — marking one of the largest groups to flood into the U.S. in recent months, and a dramatic snapshot of the historic crisis facing officials at the southern border.
The hundreds of illegal border crossers were being guided into the water by smugglers, often referred to as "coyotes," at the river in Eagle Pass, Texas, footage of which was captured by Fox News.
Federal sources told Fox there were 2,258 illegal crossings in Del Rio Sector on Tuesday alone. Over a seven-day period, there were more than 13,000 crossings in the sector.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The staggering numbers provide a glimpse into the crisis, which shows no sign of slowing down as crossers from countries including Cuba and Venezuela reach the U.S.
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July 13, 2022: Migrants stream across the Texas border. (Fox News)
There were more than 239,000 migrant encounters in May alone. The numbers for June have not yet been released by Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The crisis escalated shortly after the Biden administration entered office early last year, and has seen consistently high numbers since then. Republicans have blamed the rolling back of Trump-era policies by the administration, as well as narrowed interior enforcement policies and calls for amnesty from Democrats.
The Biden administration has focused its response on targeting "root causes" like poverty, violence and climate change, which it believes is driving the crisis. The White House also views the problem as a regional issue, and has sought a response from other countries.
BIDEN, MEETING WITH MEXICAN PRESIDENT, URGES HELP FROM REGION TO STOP BORDER SMUGGLING
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}On Tuesday, Biden met with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, during which he highlighted joint efforts with Mexico to stop human traffickers and an operation launched in April to stop smugglers of both migrants and deadly drugs like fentanyl.
"But as you know, Mr. President, we need every country in the region to join us in tracking this multi-billion dollar smuggling industry that's preying on our most vulnerable, including the 53 souls who died in a tractor trailer in San Antonio last month," Biden said.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}At that meeting, Mexico committed to providing $1.5 billion in funding for border infrastructure for processing and security.