Exclusive: Border Patrol had 22,000 illegal immigrants in custody after releasing thousands into the country

The Border Patrol had more than 22,000 illegal immigrants in custody while releasing thousands of others as of late Tuesday, according to internal nationwide agency data obtained exclusively by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The Border Patrol hit 97% capacity nationwide late Tuesday, with multiple stations and sectors massively exceeding holding space, according to the data. Additionally, the Border Patrol released 6,481 illegal immigrants into the interior of the country Monday to await the adjudication of their immigration.

The Border Patrol nationwide had roughly 20,000 migrants in custody as of Nov. 29, according to internal data the DCNF obtained at the time.

Tucson, Arizona, border sector sees lines of illegal migrants along the wall.
Jennie Taer/Daily Caller News Foundation

Arizona’s Ajo station had 546% capacity filled late Tuesday as a massive migrant surge overwhelmed the Tucson sector, which has seen the shutdown of Border Patrol social media, trainings, and checkpoint and port of entry closures.

The surge has also forced the Border Patrol to call in reinforcements from the coastal and northern borders to help virtually process migrants that have crossed illegally, according to an internal agency message recently obtained by the DCNF. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents and air marshals are also helping address the influx to the area, federal officials told the DCNF.

Jennie Taer/Daily Caller News Foundation

“The last thread of morale we have is gone. If I didn’t have so many years of service, I’d bolt. I love my job when I’m able to do it tracking groups, being on the ATV unit, but this administration has killed that,” a Border Patrol agent dealing with the surge told the DCNF.

“It’s extremely frustrating. Our national security is non-existent,” a second agent told the DCNF.

Neither Customs and Border Protection (CBP) nor the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded immediately to the DCNF’s requests for comment.

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