Quick Hit:

The Biden administration has seen an unprecedented influx of illegal immigrants, with over 7.2 million entries recorded since 2021. This figure surpasses the population of 36 US states, highlighting the magnitude of the immigration crisis.

Key Details:

• The total number of southwest land border encounters since Biden assumed office in 2021 is 7,298,486, according to US Customs and Border Protection data.

• This number is larger than the population of 36 US states, including Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

• The total does not include an estimated additional 1.8 million known "gotaways" who evaded law enforcement, which would make it bigger than New York.

Diving Deeper:

Eric Ruark, Director of Research for Numbers USA, a nonprofit that advocates for immigration restrictions, told the New York Post, “This unprecedented surge in illegal immigration isn’t an accident. It is the result of deliberate policy choices by the Biden administration.”The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to requests for comment on the issue.

Republicans and anti-illegal immigration activists have long blamed Biden for the current overwhelming surge of migrants, attributing it to his reversal of former President Donald Trump's border policies. The Biden administration, however, has denied responsibility for the crisis, pointing to external "push" factors like violence and economic instability in South and Central America.

Despite the administration's claims, critics argue that migrants face more of a "pull" factor in the form of job opportunities and government benefits, knowing they will not face deportation under Biden's lenient policies. The administration's refusal to enforce existing immigration law and its policies such as catch-and-release, mass parole, and offering temporary work permits to foreigners making dubious claims for asylum have been heavily criticized.

While the debate continues, House Republicans have impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for allegedly refusing to enforce immigration laws. The Biden administration has criticized this move as politically motivated, insisting that it is enforcing the laws on the books.