South Texas community seeing spike in car chases involving undocumented immigrants

BRUNDAGE, Texas – As the U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports a spike in people crossing the southern border, communities in South Texas are seeing an increase in car chases involving undocumented immigrants.

Emily King and her family run an onion farm in Brundage, Texas, about 40 miles from the border. 

They live on about 200 acres between two busy highways. In the last month, cars have driven over five fences on their property.

According to King, Border Patrol helicopters hover over their home weekly, in an effort to track down vehicles. 

“In the last month, 45 days, we have had literally a fence down at least once a week. Sometimes twice,” said King. 

King said the cars are usually smuggling people, and once they drive into the brush on her property, they leave the car and disperse. 

“Once they drive through the fence, they find and look for heavy brush. And that’s what’s known as a bail out and they all scatter. That’s when Border Patrol has to gather or find or search for them,” said King.

The cars that are left on her property are then picked up by officials for evidence.

“The part that’s the most difficult for us is one, we don’t know if they found them or apprehended them. And two, you don’t know if they are still on your property or hiding out. It’s just not good,” said King. 

Since the Kings have farm animals, they’ve had to fix their fences in the middle of the night so their animals can’t escape. 

“We were watching TV, about to go to bed at about 9 o’clock I heard the Border Patrol helicopters flying like extremely low and a circular pattern right around our house. It’s just really uncomfortable with a 1-year-old. Not knowing you know who’s on your property, who is out there, what are their intentions,” said King. 

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The Kings have spent about $5,000 in repairs to their fences.