Washington, D.C. (November 15, 2023) – A Center for immigration Studies analysis of the latest monthly border encounter statistics released by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) depicts a disconcerting picture of the situation at the Southwest border. Border Patrol agents apprehended nearly 189,000 illegal entrants at the Southwest border in October, marking the second-highest total for any October on record. Simultaneously, CBP officers at the Southwest border ports encountered more than 52,000 inadmissible aliens, a new monthly record and nearly twice as many as in October 2022. 

“As CBP’s October encounter numbers reveal, Biden’s schemes aren’t slowing down the illegal migrants but instead are adding some 300,000 new aliens monthly to the illegal population,” said Andrew Arthur, the Center’s fellow in law and policy and author of the analysis.

Arthur warns that, “Big northern cities straining under the burden of their own migrant crises should get ready, because this wave is coming their way.”

Key points from the analysis:

1. Border Patrol Apprehensions. In October, Border Patrol agents apprehended 188,778 illegal migrants at the Southwest border, reflecting a 13.8 percent decrease from September but still presenting a significant challenge.
2. Changing Demographics. Unlike the early 2000s, where the majority of apprehended individuals were single adults from Mexico seeking employment, nearly 45 percent of the illegal migrants apprehended in October entered in “family units”, and nearly 11,000 others were unaccompanied alien children (UACs). This shift poses significant challenges for Border Patrol agents, creating what has been termed “controllable gaps” that smugglers exploit for other illicit activities.
3. Diverse Nationalities. Only about half of the illegal migrants apprehended in October came from Mexico or the adjacent “Northern Triangle” countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The rest, over 92,000, came from countries worldwide, including Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, India, and China. This diversity complicates the removal process, especially considering the current removal restrictions imposed by the Biden administration.
4. CBP One App Interview Scheme. The analysis underscores the impact of the CBP One app port interview scheme, highlighting a 98 percent rise in Southwest border port encounters compared to October 2022. This administration “shell game” funnels aliens through ports of entry, obscuring the true scope of the border crisis.
5. Total CBP Encounters. The total number of CBP encounters exceeded 309,000 in October, including a new monthly record of over 1,500 apprehensions at the Northern border. Biden’s “CHNV parole program,” a sister scheme allowing direct flights for nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, adds to the overall challenge.

“Biden’s border disaster is far from abating - it’s really just getting started,” concluded Arthur.