CBP states that during any given border encounter, noncitizens could be detained, subject to Title 42 expulsion or released with instructions to check in with immigration officials later, according to CBP. Individuals can attempt multiple crossings each year.
An array of economic, social and political instability has triggered migration across the Western Hemisphere.
1. The Number of Encounters With Unaccompanied Children Increased
After falling to their lowest levels in over two decades following a coronavirus outbreak and reduced migration, encounters at the Southwest border have steadily increased since Biden administration announced new strategies designed to discourage illegal crossings between ports of entry. These plans include temporary pathways for certain nationality groups as well as tougher enforcement and incentives at ports of entry for those choosing them.
While most Border Patrol apprehensions involve single adults, unaccompanied child killing have seen an upsurge since 2016. These events provide a clear indicator of changing migration trends that have altered United States relations with its southern neighbors and illustrate how understanding demographics and origins of migrants is critical when making policy decisions regarding immigration enforcement.
2. The Number of Encounters With Single Adults Increased
Seven in ten encounters at the border in November 2022 consisted of single adults, while considerably fewer involved families or unaccompanied children – in keeping with what had been a deadly fiscal year for migrants looking to enter illegally.
As Mexico and central American arrivals decreased over time, more arrivals from Ecuador, Colombia, Cuba, and Venezuela started arriving. Processing these cases presented different difficulties than with family units and unaccompanied minors as their cases must adhere to specific laws and court orders.
As pandemic pandemic began, border apprehensions spiked dramatically during its first four months – yet that increase didn’t equate to previous year levels; rather it was driven by single adults’ rising arrest numbers in 2021 – an upward trend which continued into fall and into current year.
3. The Number of Encounters With Family Units Increased
CBP reported 176,205 encounters at the southwest border during January 2024, which included arrests of suspected illegal immigrants, refusals by inadmissible individuals trying to legally enter through ports of entry, individuals seeking humanitarian protection and Title 42 expulsions. Encounters between family units increased 37% while single adults saw decreases.
In fiscal 2021, nearly six out of ten encounters involving single adults involved adults alone; this figure decreased slightly the following year due to an overall trend wherein more migrants attempted to gain entry via other routes like Colombia’s Darien Gap which has resulted in many deaths from drowning or heat exhaustion on this perilous journey.
As well, encounters between migrants from Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela have increased, with most coming from Venezuela due to economic decline and political unrest in that country. The spike is most pronounced in Yuma where encounters involving migrants from these four nations nearly doubled between fiscal 2020 and 2021.
4. The Number of Encounters With Undocumented Immigrants Increased
CBP data indicates that encounters between migrants and the Border Patrol along the Southwest border have reached record highs this month, reflecting an ongoing surge in illegal crossings despite an improving job market which is keeping many would-be migrants home.
CBP encounter figures are an imperfect measure of border flows; they only account for those stopped and detained at ports of entry, not those who escape capture and are released; visa overstays also don’t count; nonetheless they provide a useful proxy of immigration trends overall.
The increase in encounters can be attributed both to labor market strength and external factors causing people to move, including wealth inequality, natural disasters and political repression. Lukeville stands out as being a particularly notable location due to being at the epicenter of traffic during pandemic. But these trends seem universal across regions and administrations.
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