© Encarni Pindado
African and Haitian migrants cross the river on the border between Guatemala and Mexico on their journey to the US border.
African and Haitian migrants cross the river on the border between Guatemala and Mexico on their journey to the US border.
"While smugglers primarily target the Northern Triangle, family units from 52 countries have illegally crossed the southern border so far this year," U.S. Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost told the House Homeland Security Border Security, Facilitation and Operations Subcommittee.
Her testimony points to the increasingly international nature of the migrant flows crashing against the U.S. border, further complicating efforts to remove those without valid asylum claims. Provost told lawmakers that the numbers from Africa have also increased.
"In just two weeks, more than 740 individuals from African nations - primarily family units -- have been apprehended in Del Rio sector alone, compared to only 108 who crossed the southern border in the first eight months of the fiscal year," she said.
