Migrant Encounters In February Down To Lowest Level Since Jan 2022; Biden Admin Credits New Border Measures

The border guard chief said there was no operational border control

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Encounters with migrants at the southern border fell in February to the lowest level since January last year, the Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) said Wednesday, with the Biden administration acknowledging border measures it has taken.

In February there were 154,998 migrant meetings at the southern border, down from 166,010 in February 2022 and a slight decrease from 156,770 in January 2023. There were 101,099 meetings in February 2021 and 36,687 in February 2020.

While still relatively high, the latest numbers for February mark the lowest gathering since January 2022, which the Biden administration has hailed as a turning point in the southern border crisis that has resulted in record numbers of migrants.

In January, the government introduced a series of measures, including a humanitarian probation program for Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua, allowing up to 30,000 migrants to enter by air each month. It also extends Title 42 designation to those nationalities. The government attributes these measures to the recent drop in the number of border crossings.

BORDER PATROL DIRECTOR SAYS DHS HAS NO OPERATIONAL CONTROLS AT US BORDER

© Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images A Border Patrol agent walks through a gap along the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Yuma, Arizona, June 1, 2022. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images images

"The new border control measures bring February's number of encounters to about the same as January," Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller said in a statement.

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He also said the agency had been emboldened by the expansion of the CBP One mobile app, which allows migrants to schedule hearings at ports of entry, but was hit by technical issues.

“This app eliminates smuggling and reduces exploitation of migrants. CBP is continually improving the app in response to the feedback we receive from stakeholders," he said.

In its statement, CBP said 71.4 percent of encounters at the southern border in February were single adults. 46.8% of respondents were deported under the Title 42 Ordinance, which allows for expedited deportation of migrants due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CRIMINAL ICE DEPORTATION OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS UNDER BIDEN

Democrats have been criticized for skipping another hearing at the border

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The order is expected to end on May 11 with the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency and has raised concerns about the possibility of a further surge in migration ahead of the generally busier summer months.

The government says it has plans to address the surge with more resources, closer collaboration with Mexico and the deployment of additional senior agencies. The government recently announced proposed new rules that would deny the right to asylum if migrants cross the border illegally and have not applied for asylum in another country they transited through.

The move drew criticism from left-wing activist groups, who said it was similar to Trump's driving bans. However, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas emphasized that this assumption is refutable, noting that there are important exceptions.

Meanwhile, DHS and the White House have sought to blame Republicans for failing to provide requested additional border funds, as well as for being slow to pass border reform legislation. Republicans say it was government policy that caused the crisis, not lack of funds.

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