Yuma Border Patrol Announces January Statistics

Apprehensions Still Declining While Assaults Rise

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Yuma, Ariz. — The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol’s Yuma Sector reports a continued decrease in apprehensions while assaults against the sector’s Border Patrol agents continues to increase.

The Yuma Sector arrested 5,362 individuals in January and 14,681 since Fiscal Year 2007 began Oct. 1, a 62 percent decrease from the sector’s total apprehensions during the same period in Fiscal Year 2006. But while arrests are down, violence has not decreased. In fact the Yuma Sector saw a 28 percent increase in violence against Border Patrol agents from Oct. 1 to Jan. 31 compared to 74 total incidents during the same period in FY 06. Additionally, violence against aliens has increased by 56 percent with 36 incidents against 133 aliens between Oct.1 and Jan. 31 versus 23 incidents against 189 aliens during the same period in FY 06.

Marijuana seizures have also decreased 37 percent since Oct. 1. Border Patrol agents seized 5,400 pounds of the drug worth an estimated $4.3 million bringing the year-to-date total to 10,000 pounds worth an estimated $8 million. During the same period in FY 06, agents seized more than 16,000 pounds worth an estimated $13.4 million.