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    In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated.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. Rio Grande Valley Sector Continues to lead the Nation in Illegal Alien Apprehensions

Rio Grande Valley Sector Continues to lead the Nation in Illegal Alien Apprehensions

Release Date
Wed, 08/15/2018

EDINBURG, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley continue to experience large numbers of illegal alien apprehensions.

Early Sunday morning, the McAllen Border Patrol Station received a report of several subjects hiding inside an abandoned house in Abram, Texas. Agents, alongside local law enforcement, responded to the residence and discovered 16 illegal aliens from the countries of Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.

Large Family Unit groups lined up against a wall
Rio Grande Valley continues to
encounter large Family Unit groups

Later that day, McAllen agents responded to assist the Mission Police Department after they received a report of a possible stash house operation. Upon investigation, eight illegal aliens were discovered inside the residence.

Hours later, Weslaco agents working near Hidalgo, Texas encountered a group of 42 subjects who were smuggled across the Rio Grande. The group consisted of family units and unaccompanied children from the countries of Guatemala and Honduras.

On Monday, Weslaco agents responded to the same area near Hidalgo, Texas and encountered a group of 44 illegal aliens comprised of family units and unaccompanied children from the country of Guatemala. 

For the month of July, the Rio Grande Valley Sector accounts for more than half of the all family unit apprehensions and nearly half of the total illegal alien apprehensions throughout the southwest border.

The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and to help save lives by reporting suspicious activity at 800-863-9382. 

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 the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021