The current situation at the U.S.-Mexico border under the Biden administration is neither unique nor unprecedented.
For generations, the U.S. has seen periodic cycles of migration. There have also been multiple extraordinary migration events that have led more families and children to seek asylum. While much of the national conversation in early 2021 focused on a supposed surge in arrivals under the Biden administration, the roots of trends began months—and in some cases years—before President Biden took office.
The American Immigration Council’s new fact sheet, Rising Border Encounters in 2021: An Overview and Analysis, examines the numbers to give you greater context into what’s happening at the border.
The fact sheet offers a deep dive into the border numbers by:
- Examining the historical context of border enforcement and apprehensions.
- Considering the factors that lead to migration.
- Dissecting the policies that led to the most recent uptick in arrivals.
By understanding the true context behind the border numbers, we can appreciate this important fact: this is a humanitarian challenge, not a security challenge.
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