CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — New video shows border patrol agents apprehending dozens of migrants early Friday morning near the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
"88 individuals crossed through the Tijuana River Channel, which is directly west of the San Ysidro port of entry," said Customs and Border Protection Agent Eric Lavergne.
"Four of those individuals were dealing with complications ranging from possibly broken foot to complications with pregnancy."
Lavergne says border crossings like these are spiking to all-time highs.
"Our record number within the last 20 years was 176,000 apprehensions, which was last year. Last fiscal year," said Lavergne. "We're already at 100,00 at six months in, so it's very likely that we'll surpass that record."
This comes just two weeks before the anticipated end of Title 42. That's the pandemic-era policy that allows border patrol agents to quickly turn migrants away on the basis of public health. It's been used more than 2.7 million times, according to ABC News.
"So we do expect an increase," said Lavergne. "But no one knows what type of increase, or an amount."
Lavergne says it's unclear whether a surge could overwhelm migrant detention centers, which are already struggling for space.
To prevent this, the Biden Administration plans to ramp up deportations, create migrant processing centers in Central and South America and create more pathways to legal residency.
But some humanitarian groups still question whether migrants will be treated fairly when Title 42 ends.
"One concern that I have is that the new measures will place a ban, a five-year ban, which is not only unfair but unjust," said Pedro Rios, Director of the American Friends Service Committee. "Because many of those individuals do not have access to information. They're fleeing from very terrible situations and seeking shelter and safe harbor."
Customs and Border Protection says none of the 88 people apprehended Friday morning were originally from Mexico, but coming from 12 other nations to seek asylum.
