Deaths of migrants in the New Mexico desert have surged since El Paso joined Texas' Operation Lone Star in late 2022. The El Paso sector became the deadliest place for migrants to cross the U.S.-Mexico border by 2024, with 299 human remains reported from January 2023 to August 2024—more than double the previous 20-month period. Volunteer search groups like Battalion Search and Rescue have discovered numerous migrant bodies in the region.