Migrant Numbers Surge in August, Setting New Record Amid Ongoing Southern Border Crisis

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced a record-breaking number of migrant encounters at the southern border for the month of August, signaling an escalating crisis. There were 232,972 encounters in August, surpassing the previous year's count of 204,087 for the same month. This also marks an increase from the 183,494 encounters in July and 144,570 in June.

The August numbers are the highest for any month this calendar year, although not the highest for this fiscal year, with both November and December 2022 seeing higher numbers. Of the encounters in August, 181,059 were made by Border Patrol agents with individuals who crossed illegally between ports of entry.

Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller stated, “CBP remains vigilant in the face of ruthless smugglers and transnational criminal organizations who exploit vulnerable migrants. Our operational tempo along the border has increased in response to increased encounters, and we remain squarely focused on our broader security mission and enforcing U.S. immigration laws.”

The latest data brings the total number of migrant encounters for the fiscal year, excluding September, to over 2.2 million. Sources indicate that encounters for FY 2023 have already surpassed FY 2022's record of 2.37 million, with eight days still remaining in the fiscal year.

The Biden administration had attributed a drop in encounters in May and June to the implementation of various policies, including expanded "lawful" migrant pathways and a new asylum rule. However, numbers have surged again, affecting cities like New York City and Chicago, where officials have called for federal intervention.

Congressional Republicans criticized the administration for attributing the drop in June to its policies. House Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green accused DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of "dereliction of duty," stating, "Secretary Mayorkas did not hesitate to spike the football in June. But don’t be fooled—cartel business is booming, and it will continue as long as Secretary Mayorkas insists on these radical open-borders policies."

Republicans argue that Biden-era policies, including reduced interior enforcement and the roll-back of Trump-era border policies, have exacerbated the crisis. They have called for stronger border security measures and criticized the administration's handling of the situation.

The administration has countered that it is dealing with a Hemisphere-wide challenge that requires more funding from Congress and the passage of an immigration reform bill. This week, the administration announced measures to increase capacity at CBP facilities, deploy more personnel to the border, and redesignate Temporary Protected Status for Venezuela, which will grant protection from deportation and work permits to around 470,000 nationals.