Nearly 200 Haitian immigrants have been captured after illegally crossing into the United States over the past week, a significant increase from the norm.
Fox News reported that 180 Haitians were apprehended at the Del Rio Station, located in Texas, just over the Rio Grande River, since last week. Prior to that, just 17 Haitians had been caught since Oct. 1, 2018.
Since 2016, the average number of Haitian migrants arrested at the southern border per year has been 165.
There have recently been violent protests in Haiti against President Jovenel Moïse over corruption allegations, which may have prompted the uptick in migrants making their way to the U.S.
According to GoSanAngelo.com, the groups of Haitians coming to the U.S. have grown in size from 14 people on June 11 to 44 on June 17.
"Del Rio Sector Border Patrol agents have apprehended immigrants from 44 countries around the world," said Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Raul L. Ortiz, GoSanAngelo.com reported. "Our agents ... continue to meet each new challenge as the ongoing humanitarian crisis evolves."
More than 36,000 have been apprehended within the border's Del Rio Sector in fiscal year 2019, a more than 100% increase from 2018.
The growing crisis at the border has seen a massive influx of migrants coming to the U.S., mostly from Central American countries. Under current law, people seeking asylum are released into the U.S. and given a court date for their hearing.
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