DHS IG report outlines how Border Patrol facilities in Del Rio Sector were overwhelmed by migrant surge

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A new Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General report gives a glimpse into how Border Patrol facilities in the Del Rio Sector were overwhelmed this year by the historic surge in illegal migration across the southern border – suffering from overcrowding and prolonged detention of migrants.

The report, released Tuesday, gives an assessment of the internal watchdog’s inspections of six Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities -- including five belonging to Border Patrol -- in the Del Rio Sector. The inspection took place in March this year.

There have been more than 2.1 million migrant encounters this fiscal year border-wide, and the sector has seen a 98% increase in encounters over last year’s already-historic numbers, with 428,555 encounters in Del Rio so far this FY compared to 215,724 in the same period FY21.

The report said that the Del Rio Sector had experienced a 216% increase in the fiscal year prior to the March inspector compared to the same time the previous fiscal year.

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March 2022: Migrants detained at a Border Patrol facility in Del Rio Sector. 

The inspector general’s office looked at stations in Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Uvalde and Comstock. It found severe overcrowding and migrants being held longer than recommended under national standards for care in some of the Border Patrol facilities.

"We found that Border Patrol held 1,164 detainees in custody in four facilities longer than specified in the TEDS standards, which generally limit detention in these facilities to 72 hours," the report said. "Three of the four Border Patrol facilities that experienced prolonged detention times were also overcrowded based on pre-COVID capacities."

It said that the facility in Eagle Pass was holding over 1,000 migrants, despite its maximum capacity of 500. The watchdog found that Border Patrol also did not provide regular showers and interpretation services -- although it did meet standards related to clothing, food, water and medication.

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Meanwhile, at the four facilities experienced prolonged detention, 77% of detainees were held over 72 hours. Overall, 45% were held between 4-6 days, 30% held 7-10 days and 2% were held for longer than 11 days. Most of those held were single adults males. Just six family units were held longer than 72 hours.

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The report also found that there were insufficient staff at the facilities with only 1,538 Border Patrol positions filled of the 1,700 authorized spots.

It also faulted four of the five facilities for data integrity issues related to the provisions of supplies, showers and meals. Some detainees were marked as having showers when they hadn’t, or had been given wet wipes instead. It also marked errors including male detainees receiving feminine hygiene products and diapers, and detainees marked as receiving multiple showers at the same time.

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Its recommendations included refining strategies to manage delays in transferring migrants and a data integrity review. CBP concurred with the recommendations, and in an official response highlighted the IG’s recogition of adherence to standards related to property management, medication and amenities.

It said that Border Patrol "remains committed" to complying with CBP policies regarding standards of care and said that personnel in the sector are "employing several ongoing strategies and solutions to better manage delays in detainee processing and transfers to other agencies and/or release from custody and mitigate the risk of prolonged detention and overcrowding."

"CBP takes its role in providing care and ensuring the health, safety, security and welfare of each individuals in its custody very seriously and will continue to strengthen its related activities whenever possible," CBP said.