SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Activity at the southern border continues to evolve under the Trump administration, but despite U.S. Customs and Border Protection releasing new data showing apprehensions hit a historic low, one humanitarian volunteer suggests that number doesn't tell the full story.
All this comes after Border Patrol agents rescued two people entering the U.S. illegally in the mountains near Tecate, an unincorporated community in central southeast San Diego County.
The rescue happened on August 7th, but dramatic video from that day was posted to the San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent's Instagram page on Tuesday.
It shows agents rescuing a 12-year-old girl in the Otay Mountain Wilderness area. She was by herself. Her 16-year-old brother, who was apprehended earlier, let agents know his sister was left behind, distressed and likely dehydrated.
She was reportedly taken to a nearby hospital, treated, and then released back to Border Patrol where she and her brother "will be processed, per sector guidelines," according to the agency.
James Cordero, a humanitarian volunteer ABC 10News has spoken with in the past, said the area of this rescue looked familiar.
“We do supply drops right nearby there," he said.
Every week, Cordero leads a group of fellow volunteers with Al Otro Lado, hiking into the mountains along the southern border, from east San Diego County to Arizona, leaving behind water, food and other viral supplies for those seeking asylum.
“Our goal is just to prevent people from being injured, dehydrated, from dying, suffering while they're on their journey," Cordero told ABC 10News.
New data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, released Tuesday, suggested fewer people are taking that journey under the Trump administration.
It said there were 4,601 apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border in July, a record low for the second consecutive month.
That number is also down 92% from the 56,400 apprehensions at the southern border a year prior in July 2024.
Corder feels that stat is misleading.
“That just means they're apprehending less people, and it has nothing to do with anybody, you know, less amount of people crossing," he said. "That's just less apprehensions.”
In fact, Cordero said, based on what he and his colleagues in Arizona have seen, not much has changed in the way of activity around the border.
“They're all saying the same thing," he said. "Supplies are still being used, there's still a lot of signs of traffic, they're still encountering people.”
No matter the numbers, Cordero said he'll still be out there to offer help.
“They're human beings," he said. "They shouldn't die at a chance of surviving life and having a life.”
ABC 10News reached out to several contacts within CBP to respond to Cordero's questions surrounding these statistics. We were told no one was available to comment on Tuesday, but we will update this article if/when that changes moving forward.
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