4000 surge in arrests of illegal immigrants in U.S. parks along border

(The Washington Examiner) Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced Friday that a program he instituted to close the border under his departments control resulted in a 4000 percent increase in arrests of undocumented migrants. Whats more the agency is dispatching Interior officers to help President Trumps plan to intercept the caravan of illegals heading to the southern border. The fact that we were able to increase arrests by almost 4000 percent is undeniable proof that theres a big problem. Under the previous administration Interiors borderlands were basically an open door for illegal activity; and what few law enforcement officers were down there were left unprotected and without the resources and backup needed to keep communities and themselves safe" said Zinke in a statement. The arrests by the agency that hadnt done arrests in the past were part of a pilot program by Interior to work with the border patrol to stop illegals from crossing on park land. Interior agencies are responsible for about 40 percent of the border. In six months Interior law enforcement officers tallied: 4010 apprehensions have been made and turned over to the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol 224 turn-backs (Were coming into the U.S. but turned around when they saw law enforcement) 469 apprehended on non-federal lands 2356 pounds of drugs seized Several vehicles firearms and other items confiscated The 4000 percent increase compares the first six months of the surge (2018) to the same six months of the last year of the Obama Administration (2016) and assesses the same geographic areas. Read More