Border Apprehensions Jump to Highest Level Since Year 2000

U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended nearly 208,000 migrants during the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2021 who illegally crossed the southwest border between ports of entry. This is the highest first-quarter figure since Fiscal Year 2000.

Border Patrol agents assigned to the nine southwest border sectors apprehended 207,968 migrants who illegally crossed the border during the first three months of this fiscal year, according to the Southwest Land Border Encounters report published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Thursday evening. {snip}

“We’re already seeing the negative impacts of the proposed policy changes,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan said in a press conference on January 5. The commissioner said the Mexican cartels and other human smugglers are spreading the word to migrants that our borders will be open to them.

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Apprehensions in December 2020 reached 70,630 — a jump from 32,853 in December 2019 (a 115 percent increase). This also marks the highest number of December apprehensions since FY2000.

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During the January 5 press conference, Morgan said these Q1 numbers would be another immigration crisis but for the policies put in place by the Trump Administration. {snip}

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