Meth, fentanyl seizures rise along with single adult Mexicans and unaccompanied children apprehensions.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan and other leadership today announced the agency’s operational update for February 2020, which included a significant tunnel discovery and rises in meth and fentanyl seizures along the southwest border.
CBP enforcement on the Southwest border increased by a small percentage in February as compared to January, due to an increase in numbers of single adult Mexicans and unaccompanied children. Every other demographic category saw a continued drop for the ninth straight month. Overall, February’s actions represent a 74 percent decrease since the peak of the humanitarian and border security crisis in May 2019 and 52 percent lower than last February.
On the Southwest border, CBP conducted 37,119 total enforcement actions in February 2020, including 30,068 apprehensions and 7,051 inadmissibility decisions.
“The processing pathways and repatriation initiatives which have been implemented by the administration have had a profound effect on CBP’s ability to gain operational control of our borders,” said Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott. “The Journey is Futile message is resonating with family units, which are at their lowest point since April of 2018. We will continue to utilize every available resource to secure the borders of the United States and keep our communities safe.”
“As we construct a new Wall System along the southwest border, CBP continues to see the increased smuggling of hard drugs through our ports of entry,” said Executive Assistant Commissioner Todd Owen of CBP’s Office of Field Operations. “This month our seizures of meth are up 66% over this time last year.”