Women make up only five percent of the U.S. Border Patrol's 21,000 agents, yet last year the number of females trying to cross into the U.S. illegally rose by 173 percent, Fox News reports.
According to agent Yesenia Leon, having a female agent pat search another female is "not necessary... but it is preferred." Fellow agent Marcella Benson added that with more female agents, "we kind of are able to relate to a female [immigrant] a little easier than it would be for a male to relate."
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