Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande City (RGC) Station encountered over 1,000 migrants in 24 hours near La Grulla, Texas, receiving praise from Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez for their exceptional work in addressing medical emergencies and intake.

"Amazing work of addressing medical emergencies, transportation and field intake," Chavez tweeted. "Way to go RGC!"

La Grulla, a small town with a population of approximately 1,400, found itself at the center of a significant influx of migrants seeking to cross the border. Rio Grande City Station, responsible for approximately 1,228 square miles of Starr County in deep-south Texas, has the task of securing 68 miles of the international border, extending from the Starr/Hidalgo County Line to the Starr/Zapata County Line.

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Sector has been one of the busiest in the nation, accounting for more than 40% of illegal alien apprehensions and more than 43% of the seized marijuana on the southwest border for the fiscal year to date. Additionally, it ranks second in terms of seized cocaine. The sector faces the challenge of handling a large percentage of illegal alien apprehensions and narcotic seizures, especially in areas where infrastructure, access, mobility and technology are limited.

As of June 2023, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) estimated that around 16.8 million people who crossed the border illegally resided in the United States, marking a significant increase from their January 2022 estimate of 15.5 million. This suggests a 2.3 million rise in the population of people who crossed illegally, indicating a 16% nationwide increase during the first two years of President Joe Biden's term.