The United States faces a tough challenge with illegal immigration. It’s important to look at the latest numbers and trends. This article explores monthly data and trends, focusing on the forces behind these changes¹.

In February 2024, there were 256,094 encounters at the US borders. 189,922 of these were at the Southwest border, making it the highest for a February¹. Compared to February 2021, this marks a 120% increase nationwide. The Southwest border specifically saw an 87% spike¹. In the past year, there have been over 9 million encounters throughout the country. The Southwest border alone accounts for more than 7.4 million of these incidents¹.

Key Takeaways

Illegal border crossings have reached record highs, with over 9 million encounters nationwide since 2021.
The Southwest border has seen a disproportionate increase, with 7.4 million encounters since 2021.
Fentanyl seizures at the border have reached concerning levels, with over 8,000 pounds seized in the current fiscal year.
Apprehensions of individuals on the terrorist watchlist have also increased, highlighting national security concerns.
The Biden administration’s policies, such as the CHNV parole program, have contributed to the surge in illegal immigration.

Illegal Immigration Statistics: Monthly Breakdown

The latest numbers from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) show a big issue at the Southwest border². In the final month of FY2023, there were 269,735 encounters, up 86% from June². Over FY2023, CBP met with more than 2.4 million people at the Southwest border and over 3.2 million across the U.S²..

Southwest Border Encounters by Month

The data shows a troubling rise in border crossings through to December 2023, when over 370,000 encounters were recorded – more than eight people every minute³. This is a sharp contrast to the low of 16,000 encounters in April 2020³. The U.S. recorded over 200,000 monthly encounters more than ten times, a feat not seen since March 2000³.

Demographic Data: Unaccompanied Minors, Family Units, and Single Adults

Looking deeper, we see that December 2023 saw mostly single adults (54%) arriving, with families making up 41%, and unaccompanied minors just 5%³. The number of family encounters nearly doubled, from almost 61,000 to over 102,000, over the past year³.

There’s a change in where people are coming from, with 54% of those in December 2023 not being from Mexico or the Northern Triangle³. Venezuelans, making almost 47,000 encounters, became the second largest group, while nearly 6,000 Chinese people were also encountered³.

Recent Pew Research Center findings show eight-in-ten U.S. adults are not happy with the government’s management of border issues³. Many view the situation as a crisis or a major problem³.

The ongoing situation at the Southwest border with its high numbers, changing demographics, and increased public concern about the government’s actions is a big worry²³⁴.

What is a Border Encounter?

Illegal immigration at the US border involves different encounters. The Department of Homeland Security splits these encounters into three types: apprehensions, inadmissibles, and expulsions⁵.

Apprehensions, Inadmissibles, and Expulsions Explained

Apprehensions are when the US Border Patrol finds someone who crossed illegally. This usually happens away from official entry points⁵. Inadmissibles, though, are folks who try to enter legally but are turned away at official entry points by the Office of Field Operations (OFO)⁵. Expulsions apply to those not allowed into the US under the Title 42 health rule between March 2020 and May 2023⁵.

It’s key to look at all these encounters to get the entire picture of illegal entry⁵. Focusing just on people caught crossing between points misses a lot. Numbers for those who were turned away or couldn’t get in legally show the border’s bigger challenges⁵.

The Biden administration may stop processing asylum claims during high illegal entry periods⁵. This would be a change in how the admin deals with the border crisis.

“Border Patrol apprehensions don’t include migrants processed at official border crossings.”⁵

Policymakers need to understand all the aspects of border crossings. Only then can they create real solutions⁵.

Factors Driving Illegal Immigration Trends

Illegal immigration to the United States changes because of many reasons⁶. Violence, instability, and a lack of jobs in countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador push people to leave for a better life⁶. The US attracts migrants with its strong economy, weak immigration laws, and smuggling networks⁶.

Under President Biden, there’s been a big increase in people crossing the border without permission⁷. In one year, over 6.4 million were seen crossing away from official points, more than four times that of Trump’s time⁷. Biden’s policies have made the US a more inviting place for these people⁷.

Since Biden took office, the number of unauthorized immigrants in the US has grown to about 12.6 million⁷. This is more than before. Policies like allowing more people in and expelling others have led to this increase⁷.

It’s important for policymakers to understand what causes illegal immigration⁸. In 2021, over a million people arrived at the US-Mexico border for the first time⁸. Border Patrol expelled or deported more than a million people, with over a million single adults being caught⁸.

Looking at the reasons for coming and how policies affect the situation can help make better policies⁶⁷⁸.

Estimating Successful Illegal Border Crossings

The exact number of undocumented immigrants in the United States is hard to pin down. But, we can learn a lot from border encounter info⁹. For instance, it’s estimated that about 660,000 people managed to cross the southwest border without being caught in 2021⁹. Understanding these numbers and the border patrol’s success rates can give us an idea of how many actually make it through.

Border Patrol Apprehension Rates

The Border Patrol’s success in stopping illegal entries is key. From 2018 to 2020, they captured about 78% of those trying to enter, a big jump from the 35% caught between 2002 and 2004⁹. This improvement shows that their efforts have been paying off.

Illegal immigration patterns change over time⁹. Over a recent span from October 2019 to January 2024, almost 10 million people tried to get into the U.S. More than 9.8 million encounters happened during this period⁹. December 2023 saw the greatest number of people caught, over 370,000, accounting for 70% of the total captures in 2017 alone⁹.

These figures highlight the ongoing difficulty of dealing with illegal border crossings. They also stress the importance of keeping border security tight¹⁰. The Biden administration is working on its immigration plan, looking at these trends to make better decisions¹⁰.

Metric	Value
Successful Illegal Border Crossings (FY 2021 estimate)	~660,000
Border Patrol Apprehension Rate (2018-2020 average)	78%
Border Patrol Apprehension Rate (2002-2004)	35%
Migrants Attempted to Enter US (Oct 2019 – Jan 2024)	~10 million
Border Encounters Reported (Oct 2019 – Jan 2024)	Over 9.8 million
Peak Monthly Encounters (December 2023)	Over 370,000

Origins of Migrants Attempting to Cross US Borders

It’s key to know where migrants are from when they try to cross US borders. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) say around 80% stopped or denied entry from October 2019 to January 2024 were from Latin America¹¹. This shows how complicated migrant origins are. We need special plans to deal with why they come.

Countries like Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras are big sources of migrants. Mexico had more people trying to cross in 2022, up by 23%. But, almost all of them were sent back under Title 42¹². In contrast, Cuba had a huge 471% jump in people crossing during the same time. Most were single adults¹².

Places not so well-known, like Venezuela and Colombia, are sending more people too. Venezuela had a big 286% increase. Most were single adults¹². Colombia’s numbers rose by 1,918%, mainly single adults. This shows a big change in who’s coming from where¹².

There are many reasons for these changes. Political troubles and bad economies are pushing people to move. Violence in their home countries is also a big driver¹³. The US government is trying different ways to handle this, like new parole programs and apps. These efforts are meant to control the number of migrants better¹³.

Knowing why and where migrants come from is vital. It helps policy makers and border enforcement. They need this info to make good plans. This is to solve the problems we have with migration¹¹¹²¹³.

Illegal immigration by month: Children at the Border

Unaccompanied Children and Family Unit Encounters

The number of unaccompanied children and families trying to cross the U.S. border illegally has gone up a lot. From 2008 to 2019, more and more children, without parents, tried to enter. The amount grew from 1.1% to 8.9% of all people caught¹⁴. Also, the total number of children, with or without family, rose from 8.2% to 37.4% of all those caught in that time¹⁴.

The Biden team is working hard to face this challenge. In the months of August and September 2023, families made up half of the people stopped at the border¹⁵. But, making legal ways for migrants might not stop people trying to cross the border illegally for good¹⁵.

In recent years, more children have been trying to cross the border. In August 2023, over 90,000 people were caught crossing the border. This was the most in one month ever¹⁶. The big number of children and families trying to enter illegally shows the hard situation at the border.

Since May, the Biden government has handled just 1,600 families with a quick-removal program¹⁶. But, experts think there isn’t one policy that has really cut down on people coming in the long term¹⁶.

“The rise in the number of children has been much faster than any recent change in the number of apprehensions more generally at the border.”

Leaders are finding it tough to deal with illegal immigration. Knowing who is coming and why they are coming is key to solving this issue in a good way¹⁴¹⁵¹⁶.

Southern vs. Northern Border Encounters

Most illegal crossings happen along the US southern border with Mexico¹⁷. Yet, the northern border with Canada is also seeing more people trying to enter. The Swanton Sector has noticed nearly 50 percent more of these encounters in March 2024 than March last year. Compared to March 2021, there was a huge 2,000 percent increase¹⁸. Additionally, more than 1,000 Chinese nationals are crossing into the US each month through the northern border. This has been happening for the past five months¹⁷.

Texas, Arizona, and California Border Statistics

Even with a rise in the north, most encounters are still at the US-Mexico border¹⁷. Between October 2019 and January 2024, 81.7% of these encounters happened on the southern border¹⁷. Texas saw the most, making up 47.7% of total encounters, with Arizona at 18.7% and California at 14.3%. The growing issue on the northern border needs attention too¹⁷.

March 2024 was difficult for the Southwest border, marking the third-worst March in terms of encounters¹⁷. Notably, there was a big jump in encounters with Chinese nationals. Out of the 189,372 encounters, 24,376 were Chinese nationals. Among them, 24,214 were caught trying to cross illegally¹⁷. The number of Chinese encounters in March 2024 was more than 8,000 percent higher than in March 2021¹⁷.

At the same time, 107,298 people were encountered at ports of entry across the US in March. This figure represents a 375 percent increase compared to the previous fiscal year¹⁷. It shows that illegal migration is happening through different routes, including the southern and northern borders, and at official entry points¹⁷.

Biden Administration’s Immigration Policies

The Biden administration made important changes to immigration rules, affecting illegal immigration in the U.S. Notably, the CHNV Parole program and the CBP One app are under heavy criticism and observation¹⁹.

CHNV Parole Program and CBP One App

Introduced by the Biden team, the CHNV Parole program has allowed over 434,800 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the U.S. legally¹⁹. It’s a new way for these folks to come in without crossing the border illegally¹⁹.

Moreover, the Biden squad launched the CBP One app to help with over 591,000 appointment requests at the border since January 2023¹⁹. This app makes it easier for people to seek legal entry. But, it’s doubted for possibly encouraging those without permission to try other methods to enter¹⁹.

Some people criticize these actions, saying they might make illegal immigration more common²⁰. However, the Biden group says these steps are important for humanitarian reasons. They aim to offer legal ways for people to come to the U.S¹⁹.

The full effect of the Biden administration’s immigration moves on illegal entry trends is still debated. As the situation at the border changes, watching these programs’ effects and their future impact on the U.S. immigration scene is key²¹¹⁹²⁰.

Nationwide Encounters Data Source

This article gets its info about illegal immigration in the US from the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). It offers a broad look at encounters on both the north and south borders. This report also includes info from airports, seaports, and other entries²².

In recent times, the US has seen more illegal alien encounters than ever before. For example, in September 2023, there were 269,735 such encounters at the southwest border. This broke the last record from December 2022, hitting only 252,315. Come December 2023, over 302,000 encounters were recorded, showing the steady flow of migrants trying to sneak in²².

Since January 20, 2021, over 3.3 million illegal aliens have been freed in the US. The Biden Administration alone has let over a million of them go each year. By September 30, 2023, over 3 million of these people hadn’t left the US. This is more than half a million higher than just six months earlier²².

Over 1.7 million “gotaways” have made it into the US without getting caught under the Biden Administration. In the first three months of Fiscal Year 2024, 386,500 have been released inside the US. This is making the border crisis worse²².

The CBP’s thorough data lets analysts dig deep into the big picture of illegal immigration. It shows us the ongoing struggle with keeping the US borders secure⁹.

Key Border Security Statistics	Data
Illegal Alien Encounters Nationwide (Oct 2019 – Jan 2024)	Over 9.8 million⁹
Record Monthly Peak Border Encounters	Over 370,000 in December 2023⁹
Estimated Successful Illegal Border Crossings (2018-2020)	78%⁹
Annual Unauthorized Entries (2000-2012)	Over 1.4 million⁹
Encounters Involving Children (Oct 2019 – Jan 2024)	Over 540,000⁹
Encounters at US-Mexico Land Border (Oct 2019 – Jan 2024)	81.7%⁹
Encounters in Texas (Oct 2019 – Jan 2024)	47.7%⁹

The CBP’s data is crucial for understanding the scale and challenges of US immigration. It’s the main source used in this article to discuss national immigration trends and issues at the border²²²⁹.

Terrorist Watchlist Apprehensions at the Border

In recent years, the U.S. has seen a troubling rise in individuals caught at the border and on the terrorist watchlist²³. In 2021, the Border Patrol engaged with over 1.6 million people at the border. This marked a big jump from the previous year, showing how important it is to enforce our immigration laws²³.

The number of people on the terrorist watchlist stopped at the border has also gone up²⁴. For instance, in 2023, CBP encountered 736 such individuals, the most in six years²⁴. This is a 2,500% spike from the years 2017 to 2020, underscoring a growing issue with border security²⁵.

The border situation is crucial for national security²⁴. The FBI’s terrorist watchlist has 1.8 million names of people seen as security threats. Over 200 illegal aliens that were caught fell into this high-risk category since 2021²⁵.

This issue isn’t tied to any single administration²⁴. In 2019, there were 541 stops of individuals on the watchlist during Trump’s time, marking the second-highest ever²⁴. Plus, although the Trump administration saw more of these stops, the percentage in the Biden time was lower at just 0.02%, showing complexities in the issue²⁴.

Keeping the border secure against potential security threats is a challenge²⁴. A report from the DHS inspector general pointed out issues in how these individuals are screened²⁴²⁵. With over 1.7 million known individuals who have crossed without being caught, officials are worried about people on the terrorist watchlist slipping through²⁵.

We must balance securing borders with protecting against terrorism²⁴. As leaders work through these tough issues, they aim to keep the nation safe²⁴.

Fiscal Year	Encounters with Migrants on Terrorist Watchlist
2023	736
2019 (Trump Administration)	541
2021 (Biden Administration)	362

“The national terrorist watchlist maintained by the FBI includes the names of 1.8 million people considered potential security risks.”

Conclusion

This article digged deep into the latest illegal immigration trends at the US borders. It used data from the US Customs and Border Protection. The aim was to help everyone understand the ups and downs in people coming across the border.

By knowing the types of people and why they come, lawmakers and the public can make better choices. They can see the real size of the border problem and what solutions might work best²⁶.

The Biden administration is always changing the rules on how to handle this situation. But keeping an eye on the border numbers is key to these changes. This is all to keep the country safe and its borders strong²⁷. People have mixed feelings about illegal immigration²⁸.

Dealing with this issue will need to look at both security and treating people with respect. With the right information and diverse viewpoints, leaders can make decisions that follow the law. They also should protect what’s best for the country and keep it a place that welcomes everyone²⁶²⁸²⁷.