Border encounters surged to 275,448 in last month of Title 42.

Record Numbers of Illegal Immigration at US Borders Despite Pandemic Policy

Newly released government data shows that the number of people attempting to enter the United States without permission increased in the final month that the pandemic policy Title 42 was in effect. A total of 275,448 non-U.S. citizens were encountered at the nation’s borders in April, including 183,342 who were arrested for walking around the land ports of entry to cross illegally and 92,106 who were denied entry at a sea port, land port, or airport.

Border Chaos Continues

Encounters have remained at all-time highs in the two years since President Joe Biden took office and peaked at 302,041 in December 2022 before dropping to 208,500 in January of this year. The conclusion of Title 42 on May 11 meant immigrants caught illegally entering the country would be barred from seeking admission legally for five years and they could face prosecution for the federal crime of unlawful entry under Title 8. It prompted many immigrants to attempt to get into the U.S. while Title 42 was still on the books.

The Biden administration has touted a 56% drop in border crossings in the week since Title 42 expired, arguing the measures put in place to deter migration are working. However, the Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has dubbed the historically high levels of illegal immigration “a resounding failure” of Biden’s open border agenda.

Border Patrol Apprehensions

The 183,342 people arrested by Border Patrol were largely interdicted trying to enter the country from Mexico. Of the 183,342, 182,114 were apprehended on the southern border compared to 977 on the northern border. The remainder were interdicted in coastal regions.

Denied Entry at Ports of Entry

The 92,106 immigrants sought admission at one of the 328 ports of entry nationwide but did not have documents to enter. Under Title 42, immigrants were not allowed to request asylum at the ports of entry, which led some to go around the port and enter illegally and then try to seek refuge. Most people denied admission at a port were at the southern border. Nearly 29,287 were blocked at the southern border, and 13,155 were denied at northern ports.

As the Title 42 clock ticked down, the Biden administration expelled 74,027 people out of the 182,114 illegal immigrants Border Patrol apprehended at the southern border. The remaining 108,087 were taken into custody and faced removal and were jailed or released into the country pending court proceedings years down the road. Others were removed from the country.

Despite the Biden administration’s efforts to deter illegal immigration, the numbers remain at record highs, and the situation at the border continues to be chaotic.