(USA Features) The Biden administration released thousands of migrants who crossed illegally into the U.S. via Texas over the weekend, according to a reporter who is on the ground in the Rio Grande Valley.
Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin via Twitter that local Border Patrol stations near McAllen, Texas, are “585% over capacity” and that there are “mass releases” of illegal immigrants underway.
“NEW: Per DHS sources, local Border Patrol stations in McAllen area are currently 585% over capacity and there are “mass releases” underway. reports there were more than 8,000 apprehensions in RGV over the weekend, and more than 3,000 in the last 24 hours,” Melugin reported, tagging fellow Fox News correspondent Griff Jenkins.
Jenkins later retweeted his colleague’s post and added on Monday that over the past 24 hours, the Rio Grande Valley sector’s Border Patrol agents encountered more than 3,000 illegal aliens, “an increase of 655% compared to” fiscal year 2020.
He added that the weekend total was more than 8,140.
Great work and Incredible footage – add to it – in the LAST 24hrs, RGV had 3,002 encounters – an increase of 655% comp to FY20… over the weekend (Fri/Sat/Sun) the total was 8,144
— Griff Jenkins
Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, whose district includes border counties and towns in the Rio Grande sector, has been pleading with the Biden administration to change course with border policies and begin stricter enforcement measures.
“Our DHS agents, & border communities, are overwhelmed & must be prioritized. DHS will again encounter over 180,000 immigrants at the southern border during July—adding to the more than 1M immigrants that have arrived at the southern border in FY21,” he tweeted Saturday.
“Something has to change!” he added.
On Sunday, Melugin took to Twitter once more to post drone video footage of “up to 1,000” migrants being held by Border Patrol under the Anzalduas Bridge in Mission, Texas, near an area of the Rio Grande River that is well known for illegal border crossings.
“NEW: This is the largest group of migrants we’ve ever seen being held by Border Patrol under Anzalduas Bridge in Mission, TX,” Melugin wrote.
“Looks like it could be up to 1,000 people. We can only get a look at the area with our drone. There’s a popular Rio Grande crossing area nearby,” he added.
In a Monday tweet, he reported, “Large groups of migrants being walked to McAllen Central Bus Station by a local Catholic Charity after they were dropped off & released by Border Patrol.
“This is happening every hour. Migrants are given bus tickets wherever they want to go,” Melugin noted.
NEW: All morning long we’ve watched Border Patrol drop off multiple bus loads of migrants at a Catholic charity in downtown McAllen, where they are given food & shelter before they take buses and flights across the United States. Buses arriving every 30 minutes so far.
— Bill Melugin
Reports have said that more than 1.1. million migrants have illegally crossed the border into the United States during the current fiscal year, which began Oct. 1. The mass of traffic has overwhelmed federal, state, and local law enforcement officials and has led Gov. Greg Abbott to take extraordinary measures, some of which have drawn the ire of the White House.
Late last month he ordered Texas National Guard troops to the border, authorizing them to work with federal and state law enforcement agencies to arrest and detain migrants crossing illegally.
“By virtue of the power and authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Texas, I hereby order that the Texas National Guard assist DPS in enforcing Texas law by arresting lawbreakers at the border,” Abbott wrote in a letter to Adjutant General Major Gen. Tracy Norris.
Abbott drew a threat of a lawsuit from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland after he then ordered Texas state troopers to stop vehicles suspected of carrying illegal immigrants other than those being transported by federal agencies.