- We're in the Rio Grande Valley,
looking across the river at Mexico.
This is the busiest place
for illegal immigrationin the United States.
It's our first visit sincethe change in administration
and the first time we've been told
Border Patrol is not allowed to assist us.
But thanks to the help oflocal law enforcement officials
and private citizens, a glimpse
at what many believe is acrisis growing out of control.
(ominous music)
Feet firmly on U.S.soil for the first time,
a group of mostly CentralAmerican migrants mothers
and children smiling on the homestretch.
(migrants laughing)
Like the 6,000 others per day
reported to be goingaround official entries
at Texas's southern-most point,
they believe the journey is a success.
What made you come tothe United States now?
Was there something youheard in your own country
that made you decide thiswas a good time to come?
- [Translator] He saw on the news
there was a new Presidentand he had more opportunity.
- [Tara] Smugglers seemore opportunity too,
as they navigate dangerous rip currents,
racing across the RioGrande one after the other,
hour after hour.
Mexican authorities watchit happen from the water
as the U.S. border agents manage dozens,
even hundreds at a time,
while also trying to keep cameras away.
- Okay, can you please notinterfere in our enforcement?
- Because this is private property,
the government does not own this property,
but they're telling us wehave to leave right now.
- [Tara] During the commotion on shore,
scouts give the all clearfor another crossing,
the distance only about thelength of a football field.
This is the Mexican side of the border.
In the sand, the footprintsof thousands of migrants
who've waited to cross into the U.S.
with the help of a smuggler.
It happens all day, every day.
Fearing for her own safety,
this resident asked we hide our identity.
In the last couple of months,
how many rafts have you seen cross
in the time you've been out here?
- If I had to give you an estimate,
I would say at least 60, 70 per day.
Hundreds of people.
- [Tara] Most come from Central America,
traveling weeks to get here.
Nearly all claim to befleeing violence and poverty.
What will you do now thatyou're in the United States?
(speaking Spanish)
Along the way,
many become victims ofabuse and exploitation.
(speaking Spanish)
Often at the hands of drug cartel members
they pay thousands ofdollars to get them here.
- Especially we have womenand little girls coming in
in thousands and we all knowthat women and little girls
have a 60-80% chance of getting raped.
- [Tara] Not all whomake the trip survive.
- Sometimes you see deadbodies floating and stuff
because they try to make it across.
Whether they get snagged onthe bottom or whatever reason,
they don't make it.
- [Tara] Still, many do,
including the unaccompaniedchildren crammed
into this overflowing detentionfacility in Donna, Texas.
- Every facility we havealong the southwest border
is over-capacity right now.
Just yesterday, we had over 10,000 people
in Border Patrol custody.
That's much higher, especiallyunder COVID constraints,
then any facility should have.
- [Tara] We saw makeshift facilities,
like this one under a bridge,
intended to go undetected bymedia and other observers.
Migrants are then sent to area shelters
and in a matter of hours free to go.
- They're released so they can continue
their legal precedentshere in the United States
somewhere where they're going.
- [Tara] Only recently isthe Border Patrol confirming
the record numbers beingreleased into the U.S.
without court dates,
as the system grows moreoverwhelmed by the day.
In March alone, an estimated 171,000-plus
entered the U.S. illegally,five times more than a year ago.
By year's end, thenumber expected to reach
more than 1,000,000,
- [Raul] As soon as theyget up to this side,
they go ahead and flag down Border Patrol
because they want to get caught
'cause they know they'regoing to get processed
and then shipped out
to wherever they're gonna get shipped out.
They're not gonna get deportedback to their country.
(sirens blare)
- Signs of the migrant surge,like these pants left behind,
are obvious on the border,
but experts say the problemis increasingly being felt
across the nation in areas farfrom the Rio Grande Valley.
In south Texas, I'mTara Mergener, CBN News.
