Quick Hit:

Illegal border crossings have exceeded 12.5 million since President Biden and Vice President Harris took office, marking the highest number in U.S. history. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reports a decline in monthly border encounters but the overall numbers remain unprecedented.

Key Details:

• Over 12.5 million illegal border crossers apprehended since Biden-Harris administration began.
• This number includes 2 million "gotaways" who evaded capture.
• CBP reports a 34% drop in border encounters from June to July but fails to account for the cumulative record-breaking total.

Diving Deeper:

According to Just the News, illegal border crossings have surged to over 12.5 million since President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took office, making it the highest number in U.S. history. The figure includes 10.5 million apprehensions reported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and an estimated 2 million "gotaways"—those who evaded capture.

Despite these staggering numbers, the Biden administration touts a decrease in recent border encounters. CBP released data on Friday claiming that southwest border encounters dropped by 34% from June to July, attributing the decline to a presidential proclamation issued in June. Senior CBP official Troy Miller praised the administration's policies, stating they have led "to the lowest number of encounters along the southwest border in more than three years."

However, the cumulative total tells a different story. The 12.5 million illegal crossings surpass the individual populations of 45 U.S. states, placing it just ahead of Illinois if considered a state. No previous administration has ever come close to these figures, even over multiple terms.

Critics argue that the administration is manipulating the narrative. U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) accused the Biden-Harris administration of engaging in a "massive shell game," moving otherwise inadmissible aliens through official ports of entry to create a false impression of improved border control. Green highlighted that the total encounters at official ports of entry have increased significantly this fiscal year, surpassing last year's totals.

"Since January 2023, more than 1.28 million inadmissible aliens have been granted entry to our country through CBP One and other mass-parole programs created by Biden and Harris," Green said. He warned that the policies implemented by the current administration have caused lasting damage that "will take decades to remedy."

The CBP data released fails to account for the tens of thousands of migrants allowed entry through various parole programs deemed illegal by the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security. These programs, created by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, have been part of the evidence used to impeach him in February.

The rising numbers at the northern border also reflect the administration's struggles. In fiscal 2023, nearly 190,000 illegal crossings were reported at the northern border, a record-setting figure under the Biden administration.

As the fiscal year comes to a close, the total number of border encounters nationwide stands at over 2.5 million, on track to surpass last year's record of 3.2 million. The majority of those apprehended continue to be single adults, further complicating the already strained immigration system.