Border Patrol Arrests Surge in May

Recently reviewed border patrol data indicates that agents apprehended over 8,500 migrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in May. This marks the second month in a row of rising concern over border crossings. Notably, more than 99% of those arrested were either sent back to Mexico or to a designated safe country.

The report shows an increase from nearly 8,300 arrests in April. This rise follows a substantial decline in immigration concerns that had begun after President Donald Trump took office in January.

In the first four and a half months of the Trump administration, the average number of monthly arrests was approximately 9,300. Comparatively, during President Joe Biden’s last month before taking office, agents recorded over 29,000 arrests, the lowest point of Biden’s tenure.

One of the more striking statistics from the Trump administration’s border security measures is the minimal number of migrants allowed to stay in the U.S. Out of the average monthly apprehensions, fewer than 80 migrants were granted release into the country, primarily due to medical emergencies or humanitarian reasons. About one-third of those released were single adults, while the remaining were classified as Family Unit Aliens. Almost 99.2% were returned to either Mexico, a safe third country, or their home nations.

In a stark contrast to the policies observed during the Biden administration, a report from the House Judiciary Committee noted in April 2024 that Alejandro Mayorkas from the Department of Homeland Security stated that in January 2024, more than 85% of nearly 106,000 migrants had been released into the U.S.

These findings suggest a striking decline of over 97% in the number of migrants released into the U.S. compared to previous practices.