Illegal Biorder Corossings by Central American Gamilies Increase Again- New Yourk Timeas

Officials assist procedure and log personal items from migrants entering the Central Processing Center in El Paso, Texas, in this May 4 photo provided by the U.Southward. Edge Patrol. AP hide caption

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AP

Officials help process and log personal items from migrants entering the Central Processing Eye in El Paso, Texas, in this May 4 photo provided by the U.Due south. Border Patrol.

AP

The Border Patrol recorded nearly 1.7 million migrant apprehensions at the Southern border over the past year — the highest number ever, eclipsing the record set more than than two decades ago.

Merely that doesn't mean it's the biggest number of individual migrants who've illegally crossed from United mexican states into the U.S. in a single year.

In fact, information technology'south probably not even close.

That'south because the menses of migrants has changed dramatically since 20 years ago, when millions of people successfully crossed illegally into the U.S. without getting caught. It's also because of a public health order adopted in response to the pandemic, which has led thousands of migrants to cross repeatedly, driving up the most recent year's numbers.

Still, the one,659,206 apprehensions recorded by the Border Patrol in the fiscal year that just ended is an unprecedented number and a significant increase from recent years. That's putting a strain on immigration regime and border communities alike — and raising difficult questions for President Biden's nominee, Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus, to pb U.S. Community and Border Protection as he faces a key vote in the Senate.

The nature of migration has changed

Back in 2000, when the previous tape for Border Patrol apprehensions was set, the flow of migrants at the Southern border looked very different.

For 1 thing, immigration authorities caught a much smaller percentage of people crossing the border. By the Department of Homeland Security'south own estimate, in that location were shut to 4 million illegal border crossings that twelvemonth — and the bulk of those migrants weren't caught. The Border Patrol fabricated 1,643,679 apprehensions at the Southern border that twelvemonth, while an estimated ii million migrants got away.

Back and then, the demographics of migrants apprehended past the Border Patrol were also very different. More 98% were from Mexico. They were generally unmarried men trying to evade the Border Patrol and sneak into the U.Southward.

Today, a much bigger share of migrants are families or children who want to plow themselves in to the Border Patrol so that they tin apply for asylum or other protections. In 2021, nigh 40% came from Fundamental American countries, mainly Republic of guatemala and Honduras — and a growing percentage came from South America, the Caribbean and Africa.

Clearing government say the number of people known to have sneaked across is rise too, after declining sharply since 2000. CBP has non released an official judge for 2021. Only even at i,000 per solar day, an estimate that agency officials offered in the spring, the total number for the year would still be far below the loftier-water marking of xx years ago.

"I've never seen it as bad as what it is right now"

The record number of apprehensions is taking a toll on border communities — and on morale inside the Border Patrol.

"I've never seen it as bad as what it is right now," said Brandon Judd, president of the marriage that represents Border Patrol agents. Agents spend hours handling paperwork for migrants who are allowed into the country to ask for asylum, Judd said in an interview. And that'due south distracting them from trying to stop smugglers from bringing drugs and other contraband into the U.S.

"Nosotros just don't have the manpower and resource to do what we need to do to both detect and apprehend everything that'southward crossing the border," he said.

Immigration authorities are rapidly expelling the majority of migrants under a controversial public health order known as Title 42. The Biden assistants has continued this Trump-era policy despite growing opposition from immigrant advocates, who say it's putting migrants in danger by forcing them to places like Haiti and Mexican edge towns — although the current administration has created exceptions for unaccompanied migrant children, and for many families traveling together.

Title 42 may have some other unintended consequence: making the edge crossing numbers appear bigger than they are.

Migrants are released from United States Border Patrol custody at a humanitarian center final month in Del Rio, Texas. Julio Cortez/AP hide caption

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Julio Cortez/AP

Migrants are released from United States Border Patrol custody at a humanitarian center final calendar month in Del Rio, Texas.

Julio Cortez/AP

Expulsions under Title 42 have lower consequences and lead to more repeat crossing

When migrants are expelled under Championship 42, at that place is no penalisation. They're just removed from the land without any formal mark on their tape. That'southward leading many migrants to cantankerous once again and once more, hoping to evade the Edge Patrol.

"Repeat crossing rates have skyrocketed this twelvemonth," said Jessica Bolter, an associate policy analyst at the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute, "because expulsions under Title 42 are actually a lower effect for unmarried developed migrants than they would have faced in previous years."

That means that thousands of migrants are being counted more than once in the total number of Border Patrol apprehensions during the past year.

"If Border Patrol arrested one person three times in the same twelvemonth, that would be counted as iii encounters," Bolter explained in an interview.

DHS officials estimate that the recidivism rate during some parts of the year was every bit high as 38% — significant the number of individual migrants apprehended while crossing the border last year was likely closer to 1.1 one thousand thousand than 1.vii 1000000.

Recidivism rates were high back in 2000 also, which prompted immigration authorities to plant new penalties for repeat edge crossers. Bolter thinks the Biden administration should consider something similar now.

"At this indicate, Title 42 is performance badly every bit a deterrent," she said. "And it's besides cutting off access to protection" for thousands of migrants who might have valid aviary claims.

Nominee to lead CBP answers tough questions on how he'll handle security

Merely the Biden administration doesn't seem to have a set up alternative.

At a confirmation hearing this calendar week, the White House's option to lead Customs and Border Protection, Chris Magnus, faced tough questions from the Senate Finance Committee. Republicans on the commission pressed Magnus repeatedly on whether he would describe the situation at that place as a "crunch." Magnus deflected those questions, describing the state of affairs instead as a "serious challenge."

"You're walking into a chaotic situation where we take the highest number of illegal crossings in the history of our country," asked Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma. "What is your plan?"

In response, Magnus told senators that he would seek to balance border security with humane treatment of migrants.

"I don't disagree with you that the numbers are very high," Magnus said. "But the lesser line however remains that, first and foremost, nosotros need to enforce the police force. And secondly, we demand to have a process that's humane and efficient."

The committee has yet to vote on Magnus' nomination.

Illegal Biorder Corossings by Central American Gamilies Increase Again- New Yourk Timeas

Source: https://www.npr.org/2021/10/23/1048522086/border-patrol-apprehensions-hit-a-record-high-but-thats-only-part-of-the-story