CBP: 118 percent increase in border apprehensions

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) report a significant increase in apprehensions recently. Many of which are said to include children and pregnant women.

CBP's Yuma Sector controls 126 miles of the U.S./Mexico Border. CBP said they have been apprehending between 200-450 people trying to cross a day in the last week.

That's a 118% increase compared to the 2020 Fiscal Year—many of them seeking asylum from other countries.

Vincent Dulesky, with CBP, said in the 2020 Fiscal Year, they apprehended about 3,600 people. The number has increased to 9,500 this fiscal year. Many of them, unaccompanied children and pregnant women, according to CBP. Coming with just a change of clothes and documents that identify themselves on their backs.

In 2019, CBP said the flow of undocumented immigrants it was receiving were people from Central America. This time around, it's noticed those coming from Brazil and Cuba as well.

Dulesky said once undocumented immigrants are apprehended; they must release them in the next 72 hours. Dulesky adds that undocumented immigrants are being released into Yuma County.

Related Article: Campesinos sin Fronteras asks for help for asylum seekers