U.S. southern border sees 2 million migrant encounters for first time in one fiscal year
More than two million migrant encounters have occurred along the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2022 as of August. This is an all-time high and driven partly by an increased influx of people coming from what U.S. Customs and Border Patrol refer to as the failing communist regimes of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. They comprised 35% of the migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border in August 2022. There was a 175% increase in people from these countries being spotted around the border over the past year. “Failing communist regimes in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba are driving a new wave of migration across the Western Hemisphere, including the recent increase in encounters at the southwest U.S. border,” CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus said in a press release. “Our dedicated teams of skilled agents continue to work around the clock to secure our border and safely and humanely process and vet every individual encountered, but those fleeing repressive regimes pose significant challenges for processing and removal.” There were 203,598 migrant encounters at the southern border last month. Most were apprehensions (181,160) of migrants who entered the country illegally. A much smaller portion (22,427) were migrants and asylum-seekers processed at legal ports of entry. With one month left of the fiscal year, CBP agents along the southern border had encountered more than 2.1 million migrants. That beat the record set in the fiscal year 2021 (1.7 million migrant encounters). About one million of the migrants encountered at the border have been expelled to Mexico or another country subject to Title 42, which was used to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. Title 42 does not carry any criminal or immigration penalties, unlike other deportations. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Fiscal year through June: More than 2 million encounters at southern border
More than 2 million people have been encountered/apprehended at the U.S. southern border in fiscal 2022 through June, according to official data released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It’s the greatest number recorded in a fiscal year in U.S. history. They total 2,002,604 from over 150 countries. In June, a record 207,416 people were apprehended, the highest number recorded in June in the history of the Department of Homeland Security. The total includes those apprehended and encountered by U.S. Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations staff. They exclude gotaways first reported by The Center Square, which includes at least another 50,009 people. The total for June, including gotaways, was 257,425, a record high for the month. “Gotaways” is the official term used by Border Patrol to describe foreign nationals who enter the U.S. illegally and don’t surrender at ports of entry but intentionally seek to evade capture from law enforcement. They are currently in the U.S., and no one in law enforcement knows who or where they are. The last time encounters were nearly this high was the last summer of the presidency of Bill Clinton. In June 2000, 117,469 people were encountered/apprehended at the southern border, excluding gotaways. In May, CBP reported the highest monthly total of apprehensions at the southern border in recorded U.S. history of 239,416, excluding another minimum 70,793 recorded gotaways. In April, CBP reported 235,478 total encounters/apprehensions; in March, 222,239; in February, 165,902; in January, 154,816. The totals all exclude gotaway data. CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus said the June numbers represent a 14% decrease in encounters compared to May. “We are committed to implementing our strategy of reducing irregular migration, dissuading migrants from undertaking the dangerous journey, and increasing enforcement efforts against human smuggling organizations,” Magnus said. “We continue to rescue and provide medical assistance to those who are in distress.” And to those coming to the country illegally, he said, “My message to those considering taking this dangerous journey is simple: this is not an easy passage, the human smugglers only care about your money – not your life or the lives of your loved ones, and you will be placed in removal proceedings from the United States if you cross the border without legal authorization and are unable to establish a legal basis to remain.” The overwhelming majority of those apprehended in June – 68% – were single adults totaling 140,197. CBP says 44% of all adult encounters and 27% of family unit individuals were processed for expulsion under the public health authority, Title 42. Unaccompanied minors are not processed for expulsion. The number of unaccompanied children brought to the U.S. by alleged smugglers increased by 4%, totaling 15,271. In June, the average number of unaccompanied children in CBP custody was 752 a day compared to 692 a day in May. Despite a record number of people coming to the southern border, CBP says it “continues to enforce U.S. immigration law and apply consequences to those without a legal basis to remain in the U.S. “Current restrictions at the U.S. border have not changed; single adults and families encountered at the southwest border will continue to be expelled, where appropriate, under CDC’s Title 42 Order. Those who are not expelled will be processed under the long-standing Title 8 authority and placed into removal proceedings.” But this isn’t what’s happening, Republican governors and attorneys general nationwide argue. This week, 19 AGs filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a lawsuit filed by Texas and Louisiana. The lawsuit was filed in response to a directive issued by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that drastically altered deportation policy, which the states argue contradicts federal law established by Congress and allows more people to stay in the U.S. illegally, including violent criminals. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis implemented a range of policies to combat what he describes as the “Biden border crisis,” including suing over the Biden administration’s “catch and release” and other programs. Texas and Missouri have sued the administration over several border security issues, including halting border wall construction and reimplementing an Obama-era program allowing illegal immigrants to remain in the country. Texas and Arizona also have implemented a range of border security measures costing their states’ taxpayers a combined multiple billions of dollars to thwart criminal activity stemming from the southern border. And Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says his state’s law enforcement officials have confiscated enough fentanyl to kill nearly every man, woman, and child in the U.S., which is brought into Texas illegally from Mexico. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Americans more concerned as illegal immigration soars to highest in two decades
A majority of Americans are worried about illegal immigration as the number of illegal immigrants entering the country soars, a new poll shows. The Gallup poll found that 60% of surveyed Americans are worried about illegal immigration, including 41% who are worried “a great deal.” “The 41% currently worried a great deal roughly ties the percentage found a year ago but is otherwise on the high end of Gallup readings taken over the past decade,” Gallup said. “The only time significantly more Americans were this concerned was in 2007, when 45% worried a great deal as then-President George W. Bush and Congress debated comprehensive immigration reform.” In addition, 17% reported being worried “only a little,” and 23% are worried “not at all.” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday that the number of illegal immigrants encountered at the border has hit the highest level in two decades. “CBP continues to enforce the CDC’s Title 42 Public Health Order. Half of migrants encountered in March were processed for expulsion under Title 42, and those who were not processed under Title 42 continue to be processed for removal under Title 8, the same authorities CBP has used throughout our history,” CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus said. Gallup’s polling was taken before the Biden administration announced it was lifting Title 42, a Trump-era rule that allowed border agents to quickly expel illegal immigrants to prevent the spread of COVID-19 into the U.S. Magnus said that number will increase even more after Title 42 is lifted on May 23. “While we may likely see an increase in encounters after the CDC’s Title 42 Public Health Order is terminated on May 23rd, CBP continues to execute this Administration’s comprehensive strategy to safely, orderly, and humanely manage our borders,” Magnus said. “CBP is surging personnel and resources to the border, increasing processing capacity, securing more ground and air transportation, and increasing medical supplies, food, water, and other resources to ensure a humane environment for those being processed.” The number of migrants illegally crossing into the U.S. is only rising, according to CBP. “In total, there were 221,303 encounters along the southwest land border in March, a 33 percent increase compared to February,” CBP said. That number is the highest in two decades, though many were repeat offenders. “Of those, 28 percent involved individuals who had at least one prior encounter in the previous 12 months, compared to an average one-year re-encounter rate of 14 percent for FY2014-2019,” CBP added. The poll found Republicans were more concerned about illegal immigration than Democrats. “Worry about illegal immigration among political independents falls between Republicans’ and Democrats’ concern – although, like Republicans, more independents are concerned a great deal (39%) than not at all (21%),” Gallup said. “And, perhaps important with the midterm elections approaching, independents’ concern has been on the upswing, with those worried a great deal rising from 30% since 2018.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
