CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Since 2009, the Brooks County Sherriff's Office has found almost 1,000 sets of migrant remains.
But according to volunteer deputy Don White, over the last few years, that number has drastically decreased.
So far, in 2024, he’s only discovered 11 bodies, when the numbers in past years at this point have usually been about triple that.
"Probably 30 to 40," he said. "In 2021, 2022, 2023, is when we started seeing a decrease -- the shifting of traffic.”
The latest US Border Patrol statistics also show that there’s been a 37 percent decrease in the number of migrants caught, compared to last year.
White said, for years, the ranches south of Falfurrias are where migrants would oftentimes set up camp as they made their way across South Texas.
And while evidence is still present that crossings haven't completely stopped, White, his K-9 partner Socks and fellow search and recovery volunteer Jason Dobbs, didn't find any human remains.
”We’ve got all kinds of cans, from drinks, from food, water bottles over there -- a backpack," White said.
Dobbs has come down from San Antonio this weekend to help White look for remains.
”With tracking, I wouldn’t say I’m great at it, but I’m good," he said. "Don speaks highly of me but, yeah, I have been tracking ever since I was younger."
The two men say they wouldn’t mind if their business completely dried up.
Until then, the men said they’ll keep looking for human remains out in the Brooks County brush.