(NewsNation) — Despite a dramatic decrease in migrant encounters in the Rio Grande Valley, officials at the southern border said cartel human smuggling operations show no signs of slowing down.
Migrant apprehensions in the area have dropped to just around 100 per day under the Trump administration — a stark contrast to the reported 2,000 daily crossings just a year ago.
NewsNation joined Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley to see firsthand the stark contrast between quieter border activity and continued cartel smuggling operations.
The area remains a known smuggling hotspot. And as NewsNation followed agents, children’s clothing and personal belongings were visibly scattered along the trail — a reminder that family units and single adults from Central America continue to be moved through the sector.
Agents said it’s common to see clothing left behind as migrants rush to avoid capture. Hundreds of discarded wristbands also littered the ground.
Border Patrol agents told NewsNation these wristbands are not just random trash but are a form of control, with cartels using them to track and manage migrants throughout their journey.
Each color and label represents a different smuggling network. Some say “Mexicanos,” others say “Entregas” — which translates to “deliveries.”
“Let me lowball here and say that the illegal alien wearing this wristband paid $1,000 to cross the Rio Grande, and I’m going pretty low here,” Christina Smallwood, an agent with the Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol, told NewsNation.
“This just shows you how much money the cartel made off human smuggling,” she said.
Agents also told NewsNation that migrants wearing the wristbands often pay extra money to cartels so that if they are deported, they can cross again without paying a second time.
Despite a more quiet border, challenges remain — staying one step ahead of cartels and dismantling their human smuggling networks is a constant battle for Border Patrol agents, they said.
After an apprehension, Border Patrol agents must conduct background checks. If the migrants have no criminal record, they can be removed or deported within hours. In many cases, Border Patrol uses buses to transport migrants to an entry point, where they are handed over to Mexican authorities.
Migrants crossing illegally are being removed and deported much faster than in the past — in some cases, within just an hour of apprehension, without the probability of seeing or waiting for a judge.
