(NewsNation) — Hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied minors were left along the U.S.-Mexico border in the fiscal year 2022, capping a steadily climbing trend over the last two years, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The agency says its officers have encountered:
- 152,000 minors in FY 2022 (all-time high)
- 324,000 minors in the last 26 months
A new video released by Mexican officials showed law enforcement floating down the Rio Grande river and coming across three children — ages 1, 6 and 9 — stranded on the river bank. This was amid cold temperatures and a swift current in the river that would have been dangerous for the children.
Those who have worked in law enforcement along the border say in order to bring about any tangible change, there needs to be a stricter enforcement of border policies.
“It’s horrible,” said retired HSI-ICE Special Agent Victor Avila. “I’ve investigated these cases and they continue to happen. How do we control it? Well, we take control back of the border. I’m not even asking to secure the border. How about we start with taking control of it and give back control to our border agents to enforce our laws.”
The problem extends beyond children. With extreme temperatures and a dangerous river, migrant deaths exceeded 850 in the fiscal year 2022.