Surge of Central Americans drive jump in immigration arrests

Officials say Central Americans attempting to enter the United States illegally along the country's border with Mexico helped drive a 15 percent increase in immigration arrests.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security figures released Friday show the jump came entirely from U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions, which surged 23 percent to nearly 416,000 in the 12-month period that ended Sept. 30.

Border Patrol arrests are still lower than the 2014 tally and far below those seen in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Homeland Security says the number of Central Americans recently apprehended on the Mexico border once again surpassed the number of Mexicans who were stopped.

Many are families and unaccompanied children, a shift from earlier years when border crossers were largely adult men.