Migrant border crossings in Yuma up 2000% since 2020, putting strain on agents, hospitals

Yuma migrant surge: Border encounters up 2000% since 2020, officials say

YUMA, Ariz. - The mayor of Yuma says the surge of migrants at the border is putting strain on not only the Border Patrol, but on hospitals in the area as well.

Hospital officials say more migrants are showing up, either on their own or when they are dropped off by customs agents.

Some reasons for the increase include pregnant women preparing to give birth after crossing the border and migrants feeling ill after making the journey, officials said.

Recent data shows the number of encounters in the Yuma sector is up by more than 2000% since 2020.

In the meantime, Mayor Douglas Nicholls has asked the federal government for help in finishing sections of the wall that were not completed and where migrants are passing through.

"There are 52 gates in the Yuma sector that are not constructed that are open," Nicholls said to Fox News. "Some are highly used. If we can get that blocked up and part of that wall finished, it will help give Border Patrol a fighting chance, and those discussions have been very positive."

The mayor says they saw a similar surge in 2019, but policies put in place by the Trump administration shut down the problem. Those policies were reversed by President Biden a year ago.