Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Archived Content
    In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated.
  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. Local Media Release
  4. Large Groups of Family Units and Unaccompanied Children Encountered in the Rio Grande Valley

Large Groups of Family Units and Unaccompanied Children Encountered in the Rio Grande Valley

Release Date
Mon, 12/03/2018

HIDALGO, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley encountered large groups of family units flowing into the United States.

On Friday evening, Weslaco agents patrolling near Hidalgo, Texas, encountered a large group of illegal aliens comprised of family units and unaccompanied children. As agents prepared to transport the group, three additional groups turned themselves in. Within minutes, agents took custody of 73 illegal aliens from the countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.

This morning, McAllen agents encountered a group of 51 illegal aliens south of Granjeno, Texas, consisting of family units and unaccompanied children.

Border Patrol is processing the subjects accordingly.

The Rio Grande Valley Sector currently has multiple campaigns focused on rescues and danger awareness, such as “Operation Big Rig” and “No Se Arriesgue” to combat smuggling and ultimately save lives. Call 911 to report suspicious activity; “They’re humans, not cargo!”   

Please visit www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Follow us on Twitter at @CBPRGV.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021