EAGLE PASS, Texas (NewsNation) — California is increasingly facing the impact of the migrant crisis, with as many as 200 migrants, many of whom authorities suspect are Chinese nationals, recently crossing the U.S. border near San Diego.
Videos shared on X by Cory Gautereaux, a San Diego resident, show hundreds of migrants illegally crossing into San Diego County allegedly guided by men in black masks who cut through the border wall.
“It’s hard for the agents to find these cuts, fix the cuts, and while they’re doing that, they’re actually cutting through the fence somewhere else and hundreds of people are coming through at one time,” Gautereaux told NewsNation.
Smugglers moving West
Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector is projected to see tens of thousands of more migrant apprehensions compared to last year. It’s facing a historic surge of Chinese nationals crossing illegally into the area.
Sources told NewsNation that smugglers are moving their operations west as Texas strengthens border security in areas like El Paso and Eagle Pass.
Rise in Chinese migrants at southern border
According to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, border agents in the San Diego Sector have encountered more than 24,000 Chinese nationals so far this fiscal year, surpassing last fiscal year’s tally by more than double.
Nationally, CBP data indicates nearly 42,000 Chinese nationals have entered the U.S. illegally this fiscal year that began in October, nearing the record total number of encounters in the 2023 fiscal year by about 10,000.
Gautereaux said he’s found hundreds of Chinese IDs and passports littered near the border.
Sources in Mexico told NewsNation that most Chinese nationals are flying into the Tijuana airport before following the instructions of smugglers to cross the border. Border officials say some Chinese migrants are reportedly willing to pay cartels up to $35,000 for smuggling services.
NewsNation’s Aleksandra Bush contributed to this report.