Nearly 400 Migrants Arrested After Tunneling Under Southern Border Wall
A group of 376 migrants was arrested last week after crossing illegally into the U.S., many having tunneled under the southern border wall.
On Friday, the Customs and Border Protection Twitter account in Arizona announced the arrests, which occurred Monday and were handled by the agency’s sector in Yuma.
“Almost all were families or unaccompanied juveniles,” the post said. It also said the undocumented immigrants came from Central America.
Group of 376 Central Americans illegally crossed from Mexico and inundated agents in #Yumasector on Monday morning. Almost all were families or unaccompanied juveniles. #NationalSecurity #SouthwestBorder pic.twitter.com/dWzS0LCgCV
— CBP Arizona (@CBPArizona) January 18, 2019
A short clip released by CBP shows the migrants walking alongside the wall, while in a second video they are seen lining up to be processed.
Additional footage of #YumaSector Border Patrol agents processing the group of 376 Central Americans on Monday. #NationalSecurity #SouthwestBorder pic.twitter.com/SohiN2XPu0
— CBP Arizona (@CBPArizona) January 18, 2019
According to local station KSWT-TV, which spoke with CBP, seven holes were dug by smugglers who’ve yet to be apprehended.
CBS News reported 176 children were among the group, and the migrants made no attempt to evade authorities.
The announcement of the arrests comes as President Donald Trump holds out for more than $5 billion in funding for more walls along the U.S.-Mexico border, a demand that has led a partial shutdown of the federal government that has become the longest in the nation’s history.
While Trump insists the border barriers are crucial to national security, lawmakers opposing the idea argue they are inefficient and a waste of money.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.