FY 2019 Shows Highest Number of Illegal Immigration in a Decade

By Heather Ham-Warren | FAIR Take | November 2019

On Tuesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection released its Fiscal Year 2019 southwest border migration statistics during a press conference near the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso, Texas.

According to the release, FY19 had the highest number of illegal alien apprehensions in more than a decade. In total, the agency took 1.1 million enforcement actions throughout the year, which is a 68 percent increase over FY18. At the southwest border alone, agents apprehended over 850,000 illegal immigrants—including a record-breaking 473,683 family units.

In addition to individual apprehensions, CBP agents arrested 976 gang members and seized increased quantities of contraband, including:

• Nearly 101,000 pounds of cocaine (a 73% increase over Fiscal Year 2018)
   
• Nearly 2,800 pounds of fentanyl (a 30% increase)
   
• More than 83,000 pounds of methamphetamine (a 23% increase)
   
• $75 million of illicit currency (a 7% increase)
   
• Almost 3,000 illicit weapons (a more than 150% increase)

In September, CBP apprehended 52,546 individuals at the southern border— down from over 130,000 in the month of May.  This decline can be attributed to the many executive actions that the administration has taken including: Migrant Protection Protocols; border wall construction, and safe third country agreements. However, because all of this progress has occurred outside of the legislative framework, it could undone easily by another administration, and Congress must act to ensure these reforms stay in place.