Border Encounters Under Biden Reach an All-Time-High, Again
On June 15, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced its agents encountered 239,416 illegal aliens along the southern border in May – a new historic high for monthly encounters.
This has been the 15th straight month where encounters were above 150,000. Last month’s totals put southern border encounters at 1,536,899 for Fiscal Year 2022, which is on track to surpass the 1.7 million effectuated in FY 2021.
The CBP data show that of the total number of illegal aliens detained in May, 59,854 or 25 percent had attempted to enter the country at least one other time in the past 12 months. This is 10 percent higher than the reentry recidivism rate between fiscal years 2014 and 2019.
The data also show that of the total illegal alien encounters effectuated in May, only 42 percent were expelled due to the application of Title 42.
CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus said the following of May’s operational update, “As temperatures start to rise in the summer, human smugglers will continue to exploit vulnerable populations and recklessly endanger the lives of migrants for financial gain. The terrain along the Southwest border is extreme, the summer heat is severe and the miles of desert that migrants must hike after crossing the border are unforgiving. Our message to those who would try and gain illegal entry to the United States remains the same – don’t make the dangerous journey only to be sent back.”
Commissioner Magnus is correct about illegal immigration surging during the summer months and human smugglers taking full advantage of migrants wanting to go to the United States. In addition, there’s no question that the journey to the U.S.-Mexico border is dangerous.
However, President Biden’s anti-borders agenda has prompted scores of migrants across the globe to embark on the life-threatening trek to the United States. Unfortunately, the president has shown no indication that he plans to reverse course on his inhumane immigration policies.
Moreover, judging by the few deportations and the large numbers of illegal aliens being released into the country under the Biden administration, the message to foreign nationals seems to be one of welcome instead of one of warning.
The administration must end its current border and immigration policies before the summer months are in full swing. Furthermore, if Title 42 is lifted, this crisis will be much worse than it already is. The president and Congress have a blueprint to stop the chaos at the southern border. There is no better time than the present to preserve our nation’s sovereignty and security.