“February Sees Record-High: Over 256,000 Illegal Border Crossers”
Since Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas implemented various policies aimed at reducing “irregular migration” and establishing a “legal pathway” for foreign nationals to enter the U.S., the number of illegal border crossers has seen a significant surge.
In February of this year, the total illegal border crossings across the nation reached a record-breaking 256,094, marking the highest figure for the month in U.S. history. This statistic reflects a notable 19% increase in nationwide encounters overall and a substantial 38% increase in encounters at ports of entry compared to February 2023.
In February, the nationwide encounters with illegal border crossers surged to 256,094, marking an escalation from the previous years’ figures. Compared to February 2023, which recorded 213,911 encounters, and February 2022, with 190,578 encounters, this represents a substantial increase. Similarly, the numbers from January 2024, which reached a record-breaking 242,521 encounters, underscore the ongoing trend of heightened illegal border activity.
Moreover, the first quarter of fiscal 2024 witnessed record numbers of illegal border crossings, both at the northern and southwest borders, surpassing any previous quarter in U.S. history. Specifically, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported 189,922 illegal border crossers apprehended at the southwest border in February. This reflects a 21% increase from February 2023 and a 7% increase from January 2024.
CBP attributes a significant portion of these encounters to the use of the CBP One mobile app, which facilitates the scheduling of appointments for noncitizens arriving at ports of entry. Since its launch in January 2023, over 501,000 foreign nationals have utilized the app to schedule appointments, with Haitian, Mexican, and Venezuelan nationals comprising the majority.
Despite these efforts, the issue of “gotaways” persists, referring to foreign nationals who intentionally evade capture after illegally entering the U.S. Between ports of entry, more than 120,000 known gotaways were reported in the first quarter of fiscal 2024 alone. This poses significant challenges for Border Patrol agents, as they lack information about these individuals’ identities, intentions, and potential criminal backgrounds.
Including gotaways, the total number of foreign nationals who have illegally entered the U.S. fiscal year to date exceeds 1.6 million, marking a historic high. This surge in illegal border crossings raises concerns about border security and underscores the need for comprehensive solutions to address the underlying factors driving irregular migration.
Article source: Over 256,000 illegal border crossers in February, highest for the month in history | National | thecentersquare.com