BORDER NUMBERS — Per a Homeland Security official, the number of arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border in June was the highest in at least a decade, reports Geneva Sands of CNN. "[Border authorities] encountered around 188,800 migrants in June, up from 180,034 in May," Sands writes, bringing this fiscal year’s total to more than 1 million encounters so far. While most encounters were single adults, there were approximately 55,805 family members and 15,253 unaccompanied children encountered in June, up from 44,639 and 14,158 in May, respectively. A key question here: What percentage of these were repeat crossers subjected to Title 42 expulsions? 

BORDER PERSPECTIVES — After spending the last couple days in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez (see my Morning Consult op-ed discussing takeaways from the trip), two things are clear to me: Border travel restrictions have stifled local economies, and the Biden administration needs a clear plan to methodically lift Title 42 restrictions. CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez describes the situation along the border and how it’s been complicated by capacity issues and new migration pressures. "We've had situations where folks aren't able to get clearance to cross on foot or by car, but they can easily go to an airport and fly," said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, who recently participated in a call with U.S. immigration officials. "It's these sorts of things that aren't consistent but add frustration."  

CUBA AND HAITI — One of those new pressures along the border will come from migration caused by the recent political upheaval and violence in both Cuba and Haiti, Adam Taylor and Claire Parker write in The Washington Post. Prior to the countries’ current unrest, data suggested that their migration to the U.S. was "steadily increasing." As many as 10,000 Haitians are already stuck in limbo at the U.S.-Mexico border under Title 42 restrictions, and the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted about 550 Cubans attempting to migrate by sea this fiscal year alone. However, as the Mixed Migration Centre’s Giulia Testa notes, most Cubans and Haitians coming to the U.S. didn’t leave their home countries recently — many are migrating a second time, fleeing Central and South America amid pandemic-induced economic stresses.