INSIDER
Who are the Border Patrol chaplains? And why does the agency need more of them now?
Read full article: Who are the Border Patrol chaplains? And why does the agency need more of them now?Border Patrol agents are tasked with enforcing hotly contested immigration policies as many Americans at both ends of the political spectrum look askance at the border — and the agents.
Border Patrol trains more chaplains as the job and polarizing immigration debate rattle agents
Read full article: Border Patrol trains more chaplains as the job and polarizing immigration debate rattle agentsThe Border Patrol has been quickly growing its ranks of chaplains to help with mounting distress.
Trump vows tariffs over immigration. What the numbers say about border crossings, drugs and crime
Read full article: Trump vows tariffs over immigration. What the numbers say about border crossings, drugs and crimePresident-elect Donald Trump is threatening tariffs on Mexico and Canada as he seeks to portray them as responsible for illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
Texas’ top elected officials signal Texas could cut border spending after Trump takes office
Read full article: Texas’ top elected officials signal Texas could cut border spending after Trump takes officeWith Donald Trump returning to the White House, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have both recently signaled new openness to winding down the state’ border security operation.
Migrant deaths in New Mexico have increased tenfold
Read full article: Migrant deaths in New Mexico have increased tenfoldNew Mexico authorities are grappling with a growing number of migrants dying in the state's border region, with the remains of more than 100 found in the first eight months of the year in the state.
Takeaways from the Texas Tribune-Associated Press report on 24 hours along the Texas-Mexico border
Read full article: Takeaways from the Texas Tribune-Associated Press report on 24 hours along the Texas-Mexico borderReporters from both organizations spent a day documenting the reality on the border. Here’s a summary of what they found.
Spider monkeys, parrot eggs and pythons, oh my! A look back at strange items found during border inspections
Read full article: Spider monkeys, parrot eggs and pythons, oh my! A look back at strange items found during border inspectionsEver wondered what bizarre items people try to smuggle across the U.S. border? Check out these strange finds from border inspections: live spider monkeys, giant African Land Snails, and even Xanax pills hidden in yarn spools! Learn about these unusual cases and more as KPRC dives into the creative lengths smugglers go to. Tune in Friday at 6 a.m. for an exclusive look at how customs agents keep the country safe. Don't miss out
Migrants are rattled and unsure as deportations begin under new rule halting asylum
Read full article: Migrants are rattled and unsure as deportations begin under new rule halting asylumA sense of uncertainty prevails among migrants after President Joe Biden invoked powers to suspend asylum for people who cross the border illegally.
Biden administration will seek partial end to special court oversight of child migrants
Read full article: Biden administration will seek partial end to special court oversight of child migrantsThe Biden administration plans to partially end the 27-year-old court supervision of how the federal government cares for child migrants, shortly after producing its own list of safeguards against mistreatment.
Border Patrol must care for migrant children who wait in camps for processing, a judge says
Read full article: Border Patrol must care for migrant children who wait in camps for processing, a judge saysA judge has ruled that migrant children in makeshift camps along the U.S.-Mexico border waiting to be processed by Border Patrol are in the agency’s custody.
2 National Guard soldiers, 1 Border Patrol agent killed in Texas helicopter crash are identified
Read full article: 2 National Guard soldiers, 1 Border Patrol agent killed in Texas helicopter crash are identifiedA National Guard soldier from New York who was seriously injured in the crash of a helicopter flying over the U.S.-Mexico border remained hospitalized while authorities released the names of the two National Guard soldiers from New York and a Border Patrol agent who were killed.
Helicopter carrying National Guardsmen and Border Patrol agent crashes in Texas, killing 3
Read full article: Helicopter carrying National Guardsmen and Border Patrol agent crashes in Texas, killing 3The military says a helicopter flying over the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas has crashed, killing two National Guard soldiers and a Border Patrol agent.
Illegal border crossings from Mexico plunge after a record-high December, with fewer from Venezuela
Read full article: Illegal border crossings from Mexico plunge after a record-high December, with fewer from VenezuelaAuthorities say arrests for illegal crossings on the U.S. border with Mexico fell by half in January from record highs in December to the third lowest month of Joe Biden’s presidency.
Supreme Court allows federal agents to cut razor wire Texas installed on US-Mexico border, while lawsuit continues
Read full article: Supreme Court allows federal agents to cut razor wire Texas installed on US-Mexico border, while lawsuit continuesA divided Supreme Court is allowing Border Patrol agents to cut razor wire that Texas installed on the U.S.-Mexico border, while a lawsuit over the wire continues. The justices, by a 5-4 vote Monday, granted an emergency appeal from the Biden administration, which has been in an escalating standoff at the border with Texas and had objected to an appellate ruling in favor of the state. The concertina wire is part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's broader fight with the administration over immigration enforcement.
Biden administration escalates its border dispute with Texas after mother, 2 children drown
Read full article: Biden administration escalates its border dispute with Texas after mother, 2 children drownThe drowning deaths of three migrants have brought new urgency to an extraordinary showdown between the Biden administration and Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
Texas is blocking US border agents from patrols, Biden administration tells Supreme Court
Read full article: Texas is blocking US border agents from patrols, Biden administration tells Supreme CourtThe Justice Department is asking the Supreme Court to order Texas to stop blocking Border Patrol agents from a portion of the U.S.-Mexico border where large numbers of migrants have crossed in recent months.
Biden administration asks Supreme Court to allow border agents to cut razor wire installed by Texas
Read full article: Biden administration asks Supreme Court to allow border agents to cut razor wire installed by TexasThe Biden administration is asking the Supreme Court to allow Border Patrol agents to cut razor wire that Texas installed on the U.S.-Mexico border, while a lawsuit over the wire continues.
US closes border crossing to vehicles and limits traffic at another in response to illegal entries
Read full article: US closes border crossing to vehicles and limits traffic at another in response to illegal entriesU.S. authorities say they are closing a Texas border crossing to vehicles and limiting traffic at an Arizona crossing to shift more resources to illegal entries.
Biden administration settles lawsuit over Trump-era migrant family separation policy
Read full article: Biden administration settles lawsuit over Trump-era migrant family separation policyIf the settlement is approved, the federal government would be prohibited from adopting a similar policy for the next eight years. Affected immigrants would be allowed to be in the country legally and receive work permits and other benefits.
How would a government shutdown impact border, immigration courts?
Read full article: How would a government shutdown impact border, immigration courts?A government shutdown would not impact operations along our borders, but would mean tens of thousands of Border Patrol Agents and Officers with the Office of Field Operations would have to work without pay.
After a lull, asylum-seekers adapt to US immigration changes and again overwhelm border agents
Read full article: After a lull, asylum-seekers adapt to US immigration changes and again overwhelm border agentsAfter a dip in illegal crossings that followed policy changes in May, the Biden administration is again on its heels as more asylum-seekers cross the U.S. border from Mexico.
Smugglers are steering migrants into the remote Arizona desert, posing new Border Patrol challenges
Read full article: Smugglers are steering migrants into the remote Arizona desert, posing new Border Patrol challengesSmugglers are suddenly steering migrants through some of the most desolate and dangerous areas of the Arizona borderlands, forcing them to walk for miles in scorching heat.
Biden administration sharply expands temporary status for Ukrainians already in US
Read full article: Biden administration sharply expands temporary status for Ukrainians already in USThe Biden administration has announced a major expansion of temporary legal status for Ukrainians already living in the United States, granting a reprieve for those who fled Russia’s invasion.
Houston man sentenced to 10 years for recruiting, directing drivers to smuggle up to 185 people into US
Read full article: Houston man sentenced to 10 years for recruiting, directing drivers to smuggle up to 185 people into USA Houston man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of conspiracy to transport undocumented migrants, the United States Department of Justice announced Tuesday.
Border Patrol fails to assess medical needs for children with preexisting conditions, report says
Read full article: Border Patrol fails to assess medical needs for children with preexisting conditions, report saysA report says Border Patrol does not have a protocol in place for assessing the medical needs of children with preexisting conditions.
Texas prepares to deploy Rio Grande buoys in governor’s latest effort to curb border crossings
Read full article: Texas prepares to deploy Rio Grande buoys in governor’s latest effort to curb border crossingsTexas began rolling out what is set to become a new floating barrier on the Rio Grande on Friday in the latest escalation of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s multibillion-dollar effort to secure the U.S. border with Mexico, which already has included bussing migrants to liberal states and authorizing the National Guard to make arrests.
Texas prepares to deploy Rio Grande buoys in governor's latest effort to curb border crossings
Read full article: Texas prepares to deploy Rio Grande buoys in governor's latest effort to curb border crossingsTexas has started rolling out what is set to become a new floating barrier on the Rio Grande.
Border Patrol staff failed to review documents, refused ambulance before 8-year-old died
Read full article: Border Patrol staff failed to review documents, refused ambulance before 8-year-old diedAn internal investigation finds that Border Patrol medical staff declined to review the file of an 8-year-old girl with a chronic heart condition and rare blood disorder before died on her ninth day in custody.
‘What happened to Ray?’ Family of Native American man killed by Border Patrol in Arizona wants to know why he was shot
Read full article: ‘What happened to Ray?’ Family of Native American man killed by Border Patrol in Arizona wants to know why he was shotA relative of a Native American man who was killed by Border Patrol agents near the Arizona-Mexico border two weeks ago said she was talking to him moments before he was shot and he told her he had contacted the Border Patrol earlier in the evening to ask for help.
Death of 8-year-old girl in Border Patrol custody highlights challenges providing medical care
Read full article: Death of 8-year-old girl in Border Patrol custody highlights challenges providing medical careThe death in Border Patrol custody of an 8-year-old Panamanian girl is the second child migrant fatality in two weeks under government supervision, raising questions about how prepared authorities are to address medical emergencies of people arriving after an often-exhausting journey.
Fewer Venezuelan arrivals lead to drop in illegal entries to US after pandemic asylum limits
Read full article: Fewer Venezuelan arrivals lead to drop in illegal entries to US after pandemic asylum limitsU.S. officials say a 98% drop in Venezuelan arrivals has helped lead to a steep decline in migrants crossing the U.S. border illegally from Mexico since pandemic-related asylum limits expired last week.
WATCH LIVE: Governor Greg Abbott to deliver keynote at National Border Patrol Council dinner in Houston
Read full article: WATCH LIVE: Governor Greg Abbott to deliver keynote at National Border Patrol Council dinner in HoustonTexas Governor Greg Abbott will deliver the keynote address at the 2023 National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) Dinner Saturday night.
Northern border immigrant death highlights crossing spike
Read full article: Northern border immigrant death highlights crossing spikeOfficials say the death of a Mexican immigrant who had just entered the United States from Canada illegally is highlighting a spike in illegal crossings along the border between Quebec, Vermont and parts of upstate New York.
More than 300 miles from home, Galveston County deputies continue working in border communities
Read full article: More than 300 miles from home, Galveston County deputies continue working in border communitiesWith the number of people illegally crossing our southern border steadily increasing each month, according to Customs and Border Protection data, many rural counties are seeing their resources drained.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn eyes the seemingly impossible: a bipartisan deal on immigration
Read full article: U.S. Sen. John Cornyn eyes the seemingly impossible: a bipartisan deal on immigrationRiding the success of his historic congressional session last year where he helped pass the first gun safety bill signed into law in a generation, Cornyn is hopeful that his ability to strike deals across the aisle will help Congress achieve another elusive legislative goal: an immigration deal.
How will asylum work after Title 42 ends? No one knows yet
Read full article: How will asylum work after Title 42 ends? No one knows yetThe Biden administration has been conspicuously silent about how migrants who plan to claim asylum should enter the United States when Trump-era limits end, fueling rumors, confusion and doubts about its readiness.
Federal health order allowing rapid removal of migrants must end Wednesday, court rules
Read full article: Federal health order allowing rapid removal of migrants must end Wednesday, court rulesThe Biden administration attempted to end Title 42 earlier this year before a federal judge blocked the move. A different federal court has now ordered that the federal health order be lifted.
Arizona refuses US demand to remove containers along border
Read full article: Arizona refuses US demand to remove containers along borderArizona is refusing the federal government’s demand to take down double-stacked shipping containers it placed to fill gaps in the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, saying it won’t do so until the U.S. moves to construct a permanent barrier.
Meth pumpkins? $402K in liquid meth found in 4 gourds confiscated at the Texas border
Read full article: Meth pumpkins? $402K in liquid meth found in 4 gourds confiscated at the Texas borderTwo people attempted to use Halloween decorations to smuggle liquid methamphetamine into Texas, according to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.
UN: 75% of 6 million Venezuelan migrants go unfed, unhoused
Read full article: UN: 75% of 6 million Venezuelan migrants go unfed, unhousedThe United Nations says almost three-quarters of the 6 million Venezuelan migrants currently in Latin America lack adequate food, shelter, employment or medical care.
A look into US Customs and Border Protection Operations from KPRC 2′s Zach Lashway
Read full article: A look into US Customs and Border Protection Operations from KPRC 2′s Zach LashwayWith more than 60,000 employees, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is one of the world’s largest law enforcement organizations. Its main goal is to keep us safe. The agency has three components-- Office of Field Operations, Border Patrol and Air and Marine Operations.
5-year-old girl drowns while crossing Rio Grande to enter Texas, Mexico’s National Immigration Institute said
Read full article: 5-year-old girl drowns while crossing Rio Grande to enter Texas, Mexico’s National Immigration Institute saidA 5-year-old girl has drowned while attempting to cross the Rio Grande to enter Texas.
Supreme Court certifies ruling ending Trump border policy
Read full article: Supreme Court certifies ruling ending Trump border policyThe Supreme Court has certified its month-old ruling allowing the Biden administration to end a cornerstone Trump-era border policy to make asylum-seekers wait in Mexico for hearings in U.S. immigration court.
Uvalde’s “back-the-blue” values collide with outrage over police response to Texas’ worst school shooting
Read full article: Uvalde’s “back-the-blue” values collide with outrage over police response to Texas’ worst school shootingThe conservative, predominantly Hispanic town has long supported law enforcement. But some wonder how — or if — the heavily criticized response to the shooting will change that.
Border patrol agent drove 40 miles to respond to mass shooting at Uvalde elementary school, sources say
Read full article: Border patrol agent drove 40 miles to respond to mass shooting at Uvalde elementary school, sources sayAfter giving conflicting information regarding the events surrounding the deadly Robb elementary school shooting, Texas Department of Public Safety officials provided a new timeline.
Search underway for Texas National Guard soldier who went missing along river in Eagle Pass, TMD says
Read full article: Search underway for Texas National Guard soldier who went missing along river in Eagle Pass, TMD saysA Texas National Guard soldier has gone missing along a river during a mission-related incident in Eagle Pass, according to the Texas Military Department.
EXPLAINER: Why is Texas policing its border with Mexico?
Read full article: EXPLAINER: Why is Texas policing its border with Mexico?Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to impose additional inspections of trucks entering Texas from Mexico is his latest move in an unprecedented foray into border security, which has long been the federal government’s domain.
Investigation of journalists by Customs unit is under review
Read full article: Investigation of journalists by Customs unit is under reviewAn internal review has been launched into the actions of a special Customs and Border Protection unit that used sensitive government databases intended to track terrorists to investigate as many as 20 U.S.-based journalists, including an Associated Press reporter.
2 border agents are fired for offensive Facebook posts
Read full article: 2 border agents are fired for offensive Facebook postsCongressional investigators say two Border Patrol agents were fired from among 60 found to have committed misconduct for participating in a private Facebook group that mocked migrants and lawmakers.
Galveston County Constables return to help with border crisis in Kinney County
Read full article: Galveston County Constables return to help with border crisis in Kinney CountyTwo Galveston County Constables returned to Kinney County again to answer calls for help from a sheriff who is short-handed and facing an increasing number of calls for service because of what is happening on our border.
Some Haitian migrants remain determined to stay in US, while others reconsider
Read full article: Some Haitian migrants remain determined to stay in US, while others reconsiderKPRC 2 Investigates spoke with several Haitian immigrants who remain at an encampment just across from Del Rio in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Acuna. Many there said they were aware of the US Government’s plans for mass expulsions of Haitian immigrants, but are still determined to stay in the US.
‘Law enforcement down here is over-extended’: Galveston County constables work overtime to assist at border
Read full article: ‘Law enforcement down here is over-extended’: Galveston County constables work overtime to assist at borderThe elected Constables for Precincts 2 and 4 in Galveston County are helping another county’s sheriff’s office that is overwhelmed by the border crisis.
Texas border communities grapple with dueling crises, COVID-19 pandemic and migrant surge
Read full article: Texas border communities grapple with dueling crises, COVID-19 pandemic and migrant surgeSeveral border leaders continue to call on President Joe Biden to pause the release of asylum-seeking migrants into the United States. These calls for help come as many border communities are struggling under the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Border mayors, county judges ask feds to pause release of migrants
Read full article: Border mayors, county judges ask feds to pause release of migrantsDemocratic Congressman from Laredo, Henry Cuellar helped lead a meeting between several south Texas community leaders and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Two Houston-area residents charged with smuggling 89 people in trailer
Read full article: Two Houston-area residents charged with smuggling 89 people in trailerTwo Houston-area residents are set to make an appearance in Laredo federal court on allegations they attempted to smuggle dozens of undocumented immigrants, Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery announced in a release.
US urging Central America to tackle poverty, corruption
Read full article: US urging Central America to tackle poverty, corruptionU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is trying to entice Central American nations to tackle the corruption and poverty that have helped drive a surge of migrants to the U.S.-Mexico border and presented an early challenge for the Biden administration.
Number of children traveling alone at border eases in April
Read full article: Number of children traveling alone at border eases in AprilThe number of unaccompanied children encountered on the U.S. border with Mexico in April eased from an all-time high a month earlier, while more adults are coming without families.
Number of children traveling alone at border eases in April
Read full article: Number of children traveling alone at border eases in AprilThe number of unaccompanied children encountered on the U.S. border with Mexico in April eased from an all-time high a month earlier, while more adults are coming without families.
Crisis along Texas’ border with Mexico not slowing, numbers continue rising
Read full article: Crisis along Texas’ border with Mexico not slowing, numbers continue risingData just released by Customs and Border shows the number of encounters along our southern border continues to rise and reached a level not seen since the year 2000.
Concerns grow over number of immigrants apprehended along Texas border
Read full article: Concerns grow over number of immigrants apprehended along Texas borderThe number of immigrants apprehended along the southern border rose to levels not seen in nearly 20 years. The sharpest increase in apprehensions came from February to March, according to Customs and Border Protection data.
Harris planning first trip abroad to Mexico, Guatemala
Read full article: Harris planning first trip abroad to Mexico, GuatemalaVice President Kamala Harris has announced plans to visit Mexico and Guatemala on what would be her first official trip abroad, as she pushes ahead on leading the White House’s diplomatic efforts on the migration challenge at the southern border.
US to keep migrant families in hotels amid rush for space
Read full article: US to keep migrant families in hotels amid rush for spaceMigrant families will be held at hotels in the Phoenix area in response to a growing number of people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, another step in the Biden’s administration rush to set up temporary space.
Migrants freed without court notice — sometimes no paperwork
Read full article: Migrants freed without court notice — sometimes no paperworkOverwhelmed and underprepared, U.S. authorities are releasing migrant families on the Mexican border without notices to appear in immigration court or sometimes without any paperwork at all.
White House says it’s working on access to migrant centers
Read full article: White House says it’s working on access to migrant centersThe fate of thousands of migrant families who have recently arrived at the Mexico border is being decided by a mysterious new system under President Joe Biden. Republican officials are also blaming the Biden administration for actions they say are leading more people from Central America to seek entry into the United States. AdGraham recently visited the border and said he saw a facility designed to hold 80 children with about 1,000 in it. “It does not mean that they get to stay in the United States. AdPsaki said the administration is committed to transparency and providing access to those temporary Border Patrol facilities as soon as it can.
VP to focus on border diplomacy; no immediate plans to visit
Read full article: VP to focus on border diplomacy; no immediate plans to visitHarris has no plans to visit the U.S.-Mexico border region “in the near future,” spokeswoman Symone Sanders said Friday. Sanders said Harris will go to the border at some point but emphasized the diplomatic nature of the vice president's role. “The vice president is not doing the border,” Sanders told reporters on a flight to Connecticut, where Harris was promoting the administration's COVID-19 relief package. He tweeted out photos of dozens of minors, wrapped in foil-like space blankets, lying on the floor of crowded Border Patrol facilities. It is not unusual to see increases in migrants coming across the border at this time of year and the Border Patrol has faced similar situations in the past, the official said.
As senators head to border, debates continues on how to deal with surge of illegal crossings
Read full article: As senators head to border, debates continues on how to deal with surge of illegal crossingsEvery border patrol sector from Texas to California is reporting increases in apprehensions. “This many people coming into our country illegally does put a burden on our system,” said border patrol agent Jesse Moreno. Moreno said Texas’ Rio Grande Valley has been hit particularly hard by large groups of immigrants crossing at once. Pimentel has long helped immigrants released from border patrol custody by providing a respite center with food, medical care, and assistance in understanding immigration court documents. Catholic Charities of the RGV has also started testing immigrants released in McAllen for COVID-19.
Migrants, including children, face cramped conditions at South Texas Border Patrol facility
Read full article: Migrants, including children, face cramped conditions at South Texas Border Patrol facilityThe photographs, provided by the office of Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, give a rare glimpse of the conditions many migrants are facing in Border Patrol detention centers. The Biden administration continues to block press access to Border Patrol facilities and shelters that house some of the migrants that have crossed the border. The increase in apprehensions began during the final months of the Trump administration. Mayorkas has said that Border Patrol stations are no place for children, and that the administration is "working around the clock" to get the children into Department of Health and Human Services facilities. “The increased number of people crossing the border is something that border experts have predicted for some time now.
Child border crossings surging, straining US facilities
Read full article: Child border crossings surging, straining US facilitiesFILE - In this Aug. 23, 2019 file photo, immigrants seeking asylum walk at the ICE South Texas Family Residential Center, in Dilley, Texas. The number of children crossing by themselves, mostly from Central America, appears to be surging in particular in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. AdThe total of 561 unaccompanied minors from Monday offers a snapshot of how quickly conditions have changed along the border. “They’re all coming across the border, they’re coming fast, and they’re wearing Biden T-shirts,” said the Oklahoma Republican. The Biden administration last week ended a Trump policy that made relatives reluctant to contact HHS to retrieve children for fear of being deported themselves.
FEMA to help manage unaccompanied minors at US-Mexico border
Read full article: FEMA to help manage unaccompanied minors at US-Mexico borderFILE - In this Thursday, May 2, 2019 file photo, Border Patrol agents hold a news conference prior to a media tour of a new U.S. Customs and Border Protection temporary facility near the Donna International Bridge in Donna, Texas. President Joe Bidens administration is refusing to allow lawyers who inspect facilities where immigrant children are detained to enter a Border Patrol tent in Texas where agents are holding hundreds of youths. – The Biden administration is turning to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for help managing and caring for record numbers of unaccompanied immigrant children who are streaming into the United States by illegally crossing the border with Mexico. During an record influx of unaccompanied minors in 2014, the Obama administration also turned to FEMA for help coordinating the governmentwide response. AdPresident Joe Biden has ended the Trump-era practice of expelling immigrant children who cross the border alone, but maintained expulsions of immigrant families and single adults.
Immigrant teens to be housed at Dallas convention center
Read full article: Immigrant teens to be housed at Dallas convention centerA tent facility operated by the Border Patrol in Donna, some 500 miles (804 kilometers) south of Dallas, is holding more than 1,000 children and teenagers, some as young as 4. “This crisis is created by the presidential policies of this new administration,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Monday while leading a large congressional delegation to El Paso, Texas. “There’s no other way to claim it than a Biden border crisis.”Texas Gov. Dallas previously offered space to HHS during the 2014 surge of crossings of immigrant children. HHS also has said it will house immigrant youths in Midland.
Children packed into Border Patrol tent for days on end
Read full article: Children packed into Border Patrol tent for days on endThe lawyers interviewed more than a dozen children Thursday in Donna, Texas, where the Border Patrol is holding more than 1,000 people. The Border Patrol currently has a record high of more than 3,000 children in detention, according to government data obtained by AP. More children are waiting longer in Border Patrol custody because long-term facilities operated by U.S. Health and Human Services have next to no capacity. AdMost Border Patrol stations were designed for short-term detention of adults, with cold, concrete cells with the lights always on. One died of the flu at the Border Patrol station in Weslaco, Texas, where minors are currently being held.