Increase in migrants trying to cross U.S.-Mexico border in states farther West

Overnight, a panel of federal appeals court judges decided to continue a block on the controversial SB 4 border law in Texas. But as that fight plays out in the courts, there has been a dramatic shift in where migrants try to cross the southern border. Texas has actually seen a big drop in attempted crossings. Instead, one of the busiest sections for illegal arrivals now is a remote area of Southwest Arizona. CBS News traveled there to see what's happening as migrants from around the globe cross through this treacherous terrain. Immigration reporter Camilo Montoya-Galvez has the story. People can die crossing this terrain. Oh, very easily. Out here, there is nothing. From the sky, this rugged stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona may look beautiful, but as Tucson's Air and Marine Operations Director Jesse Scruggs told us, it's a dangerous place for migrants. You've had to rescue migrants. Oh, absolutely. And children, too. Oh, children, women, older folks. In its latest public count, Border Patrol documented a record 895 migrant deaths in one year, including 142 in this sector alone. This makeshift encampment behind me can be a lifeline for migrants crossing this treacherous terrain here along the Arizona border. You can see migrants behind me getting food, water, and basic necessities here before being transferred over to Border Patrol agents. In just five months, the Tucson sector recorded over 300,000 migrant apprehensions, more than any other section of the border. Here is the border fence here. This is the Sotheby Port of Entry. Border Patrol agents like Benjamin Salcido largely act as first responders. We're not in the business of losing lives. Any life that we could spare, whether it be our fellow agent or a migrant in distress, to save a life, that's part of the job. And our mission here is... And that job starts here, inside this command center in Tucson, where agents take in 911 calls from desperate migrants. Migrants are coming to the southern border in record numbers and from over 160 countries. Buenos dias. While some try to evade federal agents, many migrants actively look for them to begin the asylum process. Where are you from? Peru? Ecuador. Ecuador. Where are you going now? Immigration. To Immigration, Border Patrol. Right behind this group were two men from Nepal. How long was the journey from Nepal? It took too long. Too long. Why did you come? Political problems. Political problems in Nepal? Yes. What is driving this unprecedented flow of people to the U.S.? Everything that comes across our border, illicitly, is under the control and dictation of the cartels and the smugglers. In an exclusive interview, Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens said his agency is on track to record 2 million migrant apprehensions for the third consecutive fiscal year. We have seen a sharp increase in migrant crossings in Arizona and California, and the numbers in Texas have remained low compared to last year. Governor Abbott has credited his policies, the razor wire, the arrests, the busing of migrants to cities for that geographic shift, if you will. Is that accurate? Hard to say. Could it have had some impact? Sure. Is it the one panacea that's caused, that's corrected the problem? I don't think that's a fair statement. But like so many, the migrants we spoke to were undeterred by the policies or the perils. What do you hope to do here in the U.S.? Work. You want to work? The White House and Congress remain desperately gridlocked on immigration, as they have been for decades. But communities in Arizona and other border states are bracing for another influx in crossings and potentially another humanitarian crisis. The main shelter system in the Tucson sector told us that they could start rejecting migrants from their shelters if the number of people crossing the border increases. That could force Border Patrol to start releasing migrants, including families with children, onto the streets of Tucson. That would be unprecedented. You do such a good job of showcasing the complexity with this issue, because there's so much fear that's stoked into when we talk about this particular subject. But in terms of the number of people that die, the people that are there trying to help, even though there are other things to consider too, but really, really nice job. And you say, Camilla, the White House and Congress remain gridlocked on immigration, but you could have said that under the Clinton administration, Bush, Obama, Trump, and now Biden. That's the case. The last immigration law passed by Congress was in 1990. Great reporting.