That does not mean the Tucson Sector is going to send any yet. |
The heat has been brutal. The smugglers continue to bring these people to the vastness of our western deserts ... and we cannot control the elements. |
The reason for the increase is because we have a lot more agents out there. We have 2,400 agents, and we're making it a lot more difficult [to enter]. We're frustrating their efforts because we have a constant presence along the borders. |
We had 39 days of extreme heat. That's what led to the spike in the deaths in the summer months. We had 61 deaths in July alone. |
We need the permanent checkpoints - they send a message of deterrence. |