Since El Paso joined Texas' Operation Lone Star in late 2022, migrant deaths in the region increased. From January 2023 to August 2024, 299 human remains were reported in the El Paso Border Patrol sector compared to 122 remains found in the prior 20 months, making it the deadliest sector along the U.S.-Mexico border. Volunteer search and rescue groups, including Battalion Search and Rescue, discovered numerous bodies in the New Mexico desert, often locating remains months after initial reports. Families of missing migrants awaited identification, with some waiting months or years for results. Advocates and experts attributed the increase to enforcement policies that redirected migrants toward more dangerous routes.