(NEW YORK) — There were 2.7 million migrant encounters along the southern border of the United States in the past 12 months, the highest in the nation’s history, data released as part of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s fiscal year end show.
The previous record was 1.9 million in fiscal year 2021.
In September, there were 227,547 migrant encounters along the southwest border. CBP says 19% of those encounters were repeat offenders and represents a 12% increase from August.
CPB says they are enforcing not only Title 8, which is standard immigration removal policy, but also Title 42 — the Trump-era policy that allowed migrants seeking asylum along the southern border to be expelled under the public health emergency authority of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — by a court order.
The highest month in fiscal year 2022 was May, which saw more than 235,000 migrants encountered along the southwest border, according to the data.
Cocaine (-81%) and Fentanyl (-19%) seizures decreased along the border, while meth and heroin seizures increased compared to last fiscal year.
“DHS has been executing a comprehensive and deliberate strategy to secure our borders and build a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system,” the Department of Homeland Security said in the statement.
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