(NewsNation Now) — The number of migrants stopped at the U.S. southern border has been steadily increasing. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports that over the last three months there has been a 137% increase in migrant encounters compared to the same time last year.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection figures now show that more than 2 million unauthorized migrants crossed the Mexican border in the last calendar year and were apprehended or turned themselves in. That number includes those not stopped or detected.
The Rio Grande Valley Sector saw the largest number of apprehensions in December, with 137,239, followed by Del Rio, Texas with 91,621, Yuma, Arizona with 74,238, Tucson Arizona with 56,464 and El Paso, Texas with 49,012.
The agency says it saw more family units crossing and fewer unaccompanied minors. The majority of individuals apprehended continue to be single adults.