Over a dozen illegal immigrants who were bound for expulsion and on their way out of the country broke out of a Border Patrol bus and made a run for it on Wednesday, according to Durango Ayala, the President of the National Border Patrol Council for the El Paso sector.
Ayala told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the group of 18 illegal immigrants from Venezuela escaped Border Patrol custody and are still unaccounted for in El Paso, Texas, as of Wednesday evening. The migrants reportedly broke out of the vehicle at the Stanton bridge commuter crossing by kicking open a bus hatch.
Ayala claimed that Ayala was the only agent who was with the group and the driver of the bus during their escape. This is in violation of Border Patrol policy.
Two Border Patrol agents, who asked for anonymity, confirmed that the immigrants fled to the DCNF.
CBP agents in El Paso said that the administration’s “neverending disregard” for immigration law frustrates CBP [Customs and Border Protection].
According to the agent, migrants still arriving at the southern border after President Obama’s original surge invitation are becoming impatient with lengthy processing times and getting frustrated with CBP personnel.
The Trump administration’s Title 42 allows the federal government to quickly deport illegal immigrants. The Biden administration will repeal this policy in May.
CBP One, a mobile app that allows immigrants to gain access to immigration services, is available. The app can be used to book interviews for entry and request exemptions under Title 42.
More than 2.3 million immigrants crossed the southern border in fiscal 2022. There have been over 1,000,000 encounters with border officials during the first five months of fiscal 2023.
The DCNF reported Customs and Border Protection had not responded to a request for comment.