Tucson border patrol ‘pauses’ social media after 15,300 cross into US in one week

In a statement on X, Chief Patrol Agen of the US Border Patrol's Tucson Sector, John R. Modlin said, "In light of the ongoing migration surge, all Tucson Sector Border Patrol social media accounts will be paused until further notice."

"We appreciate your understanding and continued support during this challenging time. Honor First," he added.

In a post on Friday, the BP Tucson Sector revealed that this week they had, "15,300 apprehensions, 177 pounds of Fentanyl recovered, 78 Federal Criminal Cases, 17 Rescues, 14 Human Smuggling events, and 3 narcotic events." Which Melugin noted was the highest-ever weekly total.

In reaction to the move, Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin noted that those accounts "post valuable info and data." He added, "Regardless of the reasoning behind this, this is such a bad look. Essentially, the border crisis in the sector is so bad that they’re going to cut off all communication and transparency with the public."

In a press release on Wednesday, the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona announced that it was going to continue its efforts to "enhance consequence for unlawful border crossers in the Tucson Sector." It said that 133 illegal immigrants were charged for illegal entry into the United States, which was up from 91 a week ago.

United States Attorney Gary Restaino said in the statement, "Prosecution, and the deterrence it provides, is a key tool in securing the border." He continued, "We appreciate our partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, including its commitment in detailing three DHS lawyers to the United States Attorney’s Office as Special Assistant United States Attorneys to help staff the surge."

"While prosecution alone won’t comprehensively solve border issues, a surge in resources amplifies the diligence and hard work of our Border Patrol colleagues who are out there protecting our Nation," Restaino added.

Last month, the United States Customs and Border Patrol (CPB) data on illegal immigrants showed border crossings were the highest they have ever been for Fiscal Year 2023. The CPB recorded 2.4 million apprehensions during the year, topping the previous record set in 2022 with 2.3 million.