As the number of illegal immigrants breaking into the U.S. skyrockets, the U.S. Border Patrol is beefing up security to thwart a Mother’s Day surge of undocumented flowers.
The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has issued a warning to those seeking to bring illegal flowers – or flowers without proper documentation – across the border this Mother’s Day:
“At international ports of entry, land borders, and international mail facilities, CBP agriculture specialists are the front line in the fight against the introduction of insects, pests and diseases into the United States.”
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists working at Arizona’s ports of entry are busy this week making sure that personal and commercial importations of Mother’s Day flowers are free from insects, pests and diseases that could harm U.S. agricultural and floral industries.”
“Plants must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin showing that the plants meet entry requirements for the United States,” CBP guidelines warn.
Gladiolas, chrysanthemums and choysia (a floral filler) are among the unauthorized flowers the border agents are bracing to apprehend this Mother’s Day.
Meanwhile, the number of illegal alien families entering the U.S. has jumped 62% and the number of unaccompanied illegal children has surged 78% in the first six months of fiscal year 2016.