Pre-Caravan Border Stats Are Staggering: 17,000 Criminals, 100 Countries, 1,900 Caught Each Day

As the migrant caravan continues to plod across Mexico, some experts predict they may make it to the US southern border sooner rather than later.  To prepare for their arrival, the Defense Department has been stepping up deployment of troops to the border region.  

As the Trump administration has sparred with federal judges in its efforts to stop illegal border crossings, those wanting to come to America have been paying attention. Illegal crossings at the US southern border have spiked recently, with border patrol agents picking up nearly 2,000 people a day trying to enter from Mexico.

While the migrant caravan making its way north may have dwindled somewhat in numbers, more groups are coming along behind.

US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said, "We are already facing a border security and humanitarian crisis along our southwest border. Each day on average for the last three weeks CBP has encountered a combination of almost 1,900 persons apprehended crossing our border illegally or presenting without documents at ports of entry."

"They are incentivized to try to cross…by the expectation that they will be allowed to stay," he continued. "There are tens of thousands of migrants between the Guatemala border and the US border moving toward us at any given time.  Within that flow and included are about 17,000 criminals last year along with hardened smugglers and people from over 100 different countries around the world."

Border patrol is bringing in all resources from extra agents to helicopters to special operations and medical teams to deal with this crisis. When you add the active duty troops and National Guard units heading here to provide support, there will soon be more assets guarding our southern frontier than currently serving in Afghanistan or Iraq. 

One Honduran man traveling with the caravan told us they are coming in, no matter what they may face.

"We've decided if we're going to die, we are going to die together. We are going to make it or die trying," he said.

If they repeat the performance made on the Guatemala-Mexico border, one group of soldiers from Fort Carson, Colorado stands ready to disrupt their plans.

PV2 Robert Marschewski, 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colorado told CBN News, "As a combat engineer we are highly trained in obstacles, which will be very useful right now. It's just another way to support my country, and do what needs to be done."

The new border wall is going up very slowly in Texas and California, and its progress could be significantly affected depending on the outcome of next week's elections. In the meantime, these troops will fill in the gaps and form a human wall to help border agents handle the crisis along our 2,000-mile southern border.