Migrant processing on the rise causing less enforcement along border

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - More than 1,800 migrants were apprehended in the Yuma Sector over the past weekend. On average, anywhere from 450 to 650 asylum seekers are being processed per day. That daily number only increasing.

News 11's Cody Lee asked Yuma Sector Border Patrol how long this has been going on. "We’ve been seeing numbers like these probably about a month and a half,” replied Agent Vinny Dulesky the sector's special operations supervisor.

The Yuma Sector spans over 100 miles. However, 98% of pedestrian traffic is in the river corridor near Algodones. That's where the new border wall ends. Only vehicle barriers stand in the way of crossing into the United States.

“These were designed to stop vehicles in 2005-2006,” Dulesky added.

This is primarily why all the traffic is feeding into this area.

“They’re picking the path of least resistance, and in this area in particular. That's it. You know ideally we'd want some kind of pedestrian barrier, all the way to the port of entry, so that kind of all the entries would funnel through the port of entry and you know, especially for those claiming asylum, gives them the opportunity to do it the legal way,” he explained.

Agents are finding many large groups using this path which is keeping them busy. The largest group they've seen so far had 69 people.

“You have several agents transporting you have several agents doing the processing, you have several agents if there's anybody that needs hospital watch we got transport there." Dulesky continued.

He says agents are spending more time processing than keeping the border safe.

“That personnel that is generally doing the enforcement posture, are now doing the processing side,” he said. “Pre-December we were seeing 80 / 20 with 80% in our enforcement posture and 20% in that processing duty to where now it's more 60 / 40,” Agent Dulesky added.

Border patrol says housing the number of people they’re processing is a challenge, but things are easing as more non-government agencies step in to assist. The sector is also using the soft-sided facility to house family units.