December 2023 Sets Historic Record of Illegal Immigration

FAIR Take | January 2024

Late Friday night, the Department of Homeland Security released statistics showing that December 2023 set a new record for illegal entries, capping off the most disastrous year of illegal immigration to the United States.

In December, total nationwide encounters reached a record 371,036, eclipsing the previous monthly record set in September by 30,000. In just the first three months of fiscal year 2024, nearly one million illegal aliens were encountered at our borders, and these figures do not include thousands of ‘gotaways’ who are known to have entered but evaded law enforcement.

Of the more than 371,000 aliens encountered, 302,034 were encountered at our southern border. Of those, nearly 250,000 were arrested between ports of entry by Border Patrol.

December statistics also showed that the number of unaccompanied alien children continues at crisis levels. In December, 13,527 unaccompanied minors were encountered, most of whom were transferred to Health and Human Services to be placed with sponsors throughout the United States.

Even more alarming, the vast majority of the illegal aliens who are encountered are being released into the United States. Earlier this month, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who is facing impeachment by the House of Representatives starting Tuesday, publicly acknowledged that more than 70 percent are released into the United States. Later, he privately admitted to Border Patrol agents that more than 85 percent of those encountered at the southern border are being released.

According to Customs and Border Patrol, approximately 45,770 aliens were processed and paroled into the country using the CBP One App in December 2023. Since the App became operational in January 2023, about 413,000 aliens have scheduled appointments to appear at a port of entry at the southern border and seek parole (which ultimately allows an alien to obtain a work permit and a path to citizenship).

In addition, through the end of December, 327,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans flew into the U.S. under the unlawful parole process put in place by Secretary Mayorkas.

As the numbers continue to spike, Secretary Mayorkas faces possible impeachment as the House Homeland Security Committee prepares to vote on Articles of Impeachment this week. Unless Congress acts decisively to remove Secretary Mayorkas from office and force the Biden administration to secure our borders, these unsustainable levels of illegal immigration will continue through 2024.