Migrants exploit gap in Arizona border wall

YUMA, Arizona (Border Report) — Two months ago, Border Report visited a place where Arizona, California and Mexico are united by the Colorado River.

The area, known as the ‘Yuma Gap,” is where several large apertures can be seen in the border barrier.

Back in December, there were an estimated 6,000 migrants per week walking into the U.S. through this point.

And after crossing the border, migrants would literally stand around on a levee waiting to be picked up by Border Patrol agents so they could ask for political asylum.

“We’re still getting about 1,000 per day,” Yuma County Supervisor Jonathan Lines last week.

Lines stated the area is less impacted now by migrants because the Border Patrol has assigned more agents to the Yuma Sector.

“We’ve had more Border Patrol officers here actually standing along the border having more of a presence as well as additional electronic assets, they’ve been able to interdict and turn people back,” he said

Lines said up to 1,000 migrants per day are still using this point to access the United States.

“I came because I heard the United States offers political asylum,” said an unidentified migrant from Colombia.

He and his family were seen crossing the border early one morning last week.

A steady stream of people would follow throughout the morning, from all over the world, walking along dirt trails that lead from Los Algodones, Mexico through the Yuma Gap into Arizona.

One family ventured into a canal with plans to move farther east into the United States.

The man, likely the father, held a young girl in his arms and jumped into the running water, they were knocked down by the current and the toddler screamed in horror.

Luckily, the man was able to get back on his feet as he tried to get the girl to walk up on the embankment.

After several failed attempts, they were able to get to the other side.

Unfortunately, in the struggle to wade through the thigh-deep water, they lost some of their bags that were swept away.

“I don’t blame anyone for wanting to better their situation and improve their lives,” said Lines. “It’s tragic, you don’t want to see anyone struggling, especially those with small children.”

Lines said the ongoing influx of migrants and their needs is overwhelming the area’s 911 system, hospitals and social agencies in Yuma County.

“With that added, not necessarily burden, but responsibility of helping anybody who shows up is putting a strain on the system,” he said.

Lines is hopeful the Biden administration can do more to slow down the flow of people and narcotics through this part of the southern border.

“We can’t necessarily control this area of the border without a complete wall and because of that we’ve got people who are making their way through the city and not knowing where they are going looking for assistance and taxing an already overwhelmed system,” he said. “And there’s the human element of narcotics that are being smuggled through our fair city.”