Migrant encounters at southern border hit new February record high

The variety of migrant encounters at the southern border for February hit a new high for the month this 12 months, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) figures launched on Friday reveal, reversing a pointy drop in numbers in January.

There have been 189,922 migrant encounters alongside the border in February. That’s larger than the 156,000 in the identical month in 2023. The highest it had been for February was in 2022 when numbers reached 166,010.

Despite the record high numbers total, the variety of unlawful migrant encounters between ports of entry by Border Patrol is decrease than in February 2022, which means the new high is defined partly by massive numbers coming to the ports of entry. CBP processed greater than 42,000 folks via appointment at ports of entry.

Numbers had dropped from a record 302,000 in December to a comparatively low 176,204 in January, however had not continued to go down in February.

In an announcement, appearing CBP Commissioner Troy Miller stated that it’s working with home and overseas companions to boost enforcement in addition to “aggressively targeting unscrupulous human smugglers, and swiftly applying consequences against those who cross the border illegally and have no legal basis to remain in the United States.”

He pointed to will increase in medication seized by brokers, together with 294% extra meth than in January. DHS additionally stated it has now eliminated or returned practically 600,000 people since May.

This is a breaking story; test again for updates.