According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), there were 304,162 unauthorized migrants who entered the United States in August alone. This number broke the previous monthly record and poses a significant challenge for the Biden administration.
Out of the total, approximately 181,000 illegal immigrants were apprehended by Border Patrol agents at the southern border, which is an increase of over 36% compared to July.
However, the majority of unauthorized entries are occurring at official ports of entry, where the Biden administration has implemented various programs to welcome migrants as long as they schedule their arrivals. In August, the ports of entry reported 121,781 encounters with unauthorized migrants.
Interestingly, more than 50,000 of these encounters happened at airports and seaports, indicating that migrants are bypassing the southern border altogether and entering deeper into the U.S., where they quickly disperse.
Comparatively, the previous record for total illegal border encounters was set in December, when authorities detected 302,412 migrants. In August 2020, during the Trump administration, the number was significantly lower at 65,707, less than a quarter of the number seen last month under President Biden.
These numbers serve as an embarrassment for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who had previously celebrated a decrease in border crossings. Mayorkas had claimed that his policies to address the end of the pandemic emergency were effective in reducing the flow of people, but the recent surge indicates otherwise.
The statistics also reveal that Central Americans, particularly from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, accounted for the highest level of unauthorized entries into the U.S. in two years, totaling nearly 80,000. Additionally, over 37,000 Venezuelans were encountered by Customs and Border Protection agents and officers.
Troy Miller, the Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, maintained a positive outlook despite the grim figures. He praised the agency’s increased operational tempo and highlighted the record use of expedited removal, a deportation power aimed at speeding up the process.
However, based on previous months, it is likely that the majority of newcomers were apprehended and released. This raises concerns as Rep. Mark Green, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, criticizes Mayorkas for overlooking effective get-tough policies that would alleviate the border crisis.
Green emphasized that the record numbers also mean significant profits for the cartels that the DHS claims to combat. As a result, the Homeland Security Committee is leading an inquiry into Mayorkas’s record, with potential impeachment proceedings against the secretary on the horizon.
