- We're in the Rio Grande Valley looking
across the river at Mexico.
This is the busiest placefor illegal immigration
in 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.
(somber dramatic music)
Feet firmly on US soil for the first time,
a group of mostly Central American migrant
mothers and childrensmiling on the homestretch.
(migrants laughing)
Like the 6,000 others perday reported to be going
around official entries atTexas' 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?
(speaking in foreign language)
- [Translator] He saw on the news that
it is a new president andyou have more opportunity.
- [Tara] Smugglers seemore opportunity too
as they navigate dangerousrip currents racing
across the Rio Grande one afterthe other hour after hour.
Mexican authorities watchit happen from the water
as US border agents managedozens, even hundreds at a time
while also trying to keep cameras away.
- Can you please notinterfere in our enforcement?
- This is private property.
The government does not own this property
but they're telling us wehave to leave right now.
- 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 waded across into theUS with the help of a smuggler.
It happens all day every day.
Fearing for her own safety,
this resident ask we hide her identity.
In the last couple 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 60-70per 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 in foreign language)
Along the way, many become victims
of abuse and exploitation.
(speaking in foreign language)
Often at the hands of drug cartel members
they pay thousands ofdollars to get them here.
- Especially we have women
and little girls coming in in thousands.
And we all know that women
and little girls have a 60 to80% chance of getting raped.
- [Tara] Not all whomake the trip survive.
- Sometimes see deadbodies floating and stuff
because they tried to make it across
or they get snagged on the 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 wehave along 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 makeshiftfacilities like this one
under a bridge intended to go undetected
by media 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 proceedingshere in the United States
somewhere where they're going.
- [Tara] Only recentlyis the border patrol
confirming the recordnumbers being released
into the US without court dates
as the system grows moreoverwhelmed by the day.
In March alone, an estimated 171,000+
entered the US illegally, fivetimes more than a year ago.
By year's end, the number expected
to reach more than one million.
- Soon as they get tothis side, they go ahead
and flag down border patrolbecause they wanna get caught.
Because they know they'regonna get processed
and then shipped out to wherever
they're gonna get shipped out.
They're not gonna get deportedback to their country.
(siren wailing)
- Signs of the migrant surge
like these pants left behindare 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'm Tara Mergener.
