Border Patrol agent Craig Duff carefully toes the politically correct line. Last time I crossed at the Sweet Grass Port of Entry, we played twenty questions and a threat of a secondary inspection. Luckily an “old timer” Custom Inspector that knew me stepped in and waved me through.

Via KRTV

Thousands of minor immigrants, mostly from Central America, have been crossing the southern border of Texas in recent weeks, a situation that President Obama calls a humanitarian crisis.

Reporter Alex Backus spoke with supervisory Border Patrol agent Craig Duff who worked along the southern border for about 12 years.

Border Patrol agents have been directed not to speak with reporters about the current situation in Texas, but he explained what he experienced there a few years ago.

“It’s a very dangerous trail that they travel coming across,” Duff explained. “This time of year, the heat is unbearable, they’re unprepared a lot of times. They’re, a lot of times, given drugs to take to help with their stamina on the trail, drinking Enfamil and baby water for the electrolytes.”

He explained the trails that lead to the southern border sometimes take travelers days to navigate and have obstacles such as hiding bandits and wildlife. When Duff worked on the southern border, some stations were apprehending between 100 and 200 people per day.

“We see less apprehensions here [northern border] but the apprehensions here are a different nature. We encounter people from all over the world.”

Many of the apprehensions are people who came here legally, for example on a permit or a student but are now out of status.

He noted, “It’s more involved in ascertaining someone’s legal right to be here.”

As we continue into the summer months, traffic and apprehensions across the border increase.

“As the parks open, we see more tourists coming through,” Duff said. “As the weather improves, we see more work groups coming through doing farm, ranch jobs or construction jobs.”

These job opportunities are increasing in the eastern part of the state, and Border Patrol agents have been apprehending more people near the Bakken region in northeastern Montana.

“They’re in work groups driving through, going to job sites, or contracting company out of state,” said Duff.

About 200 Border Patrol agents across Montana work with other agencies, such as regional and municipal law enforcement and the FBI to keep our northern borders secure.