Border Patrol Arrests Increase In September Amid Push To Quickly Return Migrants To Mexico

Topline

Migrant arrests on the U.S.-Mexico border reached their highest level in more than a year in September, as border agents controversially ejected almost all migrants to Mexico within less than two hours of their arrest, though apprehensions are still down dramatically from last year, according to new U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.

Key Facts

Agents arrested 54,771 people who tried to cross the southwest border in September, including 3,756 unaccompanied children and 3,808 people who crossed with families.

Border arrests have increased by nearly 16% since August, continuing a five-month-long surge after apprehensions plummeted to just 16,182 in April.

Almost 90% of last month’s arrestees were almost immediately transported back to the Mexico side of the border and then released, part of a controversial policy dating back to March that the Trump administration claims is designed to stop the spread of Covid-19, though advocates have blasted the practice as unfair and potentially dangerous.

Around 37% of recent arrestees tried to cross the border more than once, the Washington Post reported Wednesday, a 30-point increase from last year that some experts say is because of CBP’s policy of expelling people immediately.

Big Number

400,651. That’s the total number of arrests made by CBP in the 2020 fiscal year, which ended in September. Arrests dropped precipitously from 851,508 in fiscal year 2019, an overall trend that CBP officials claim is due to the Trump administration’s strict policies.

Key Background

President Donald Trump’s immigration strategy has been characterized by strict, sweeping and brutal measures meant to discourage people from trying to cross the border in the first place. His administration routinely separated children and parents who crossed the border together for several months in 2018, his controversial “Remain in Mexico” program forces most asylum seekers to live in Mexico for months — often in dangerous border cities — while they await their court dates, and Covid-19 gave the administration a reason to start expelling most adults and children almost immediately after crossing the border. These policies have drawn consistent outrage and frequent legal challenges, but officials insist they are effective at deterring migration, with CBP Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan calling Trump’s Remain in Mexico strategy a “gamechanger.” But now, as economic conditions worsen, officials say attempts to cross the border could rise yet again.

Crucial Quote

“After the pandemic ceases, we will face the same kind of influx of illegal migration that we confronted in 2019,” Morgan said at a press conference Wednesday. “In fact, we’re anticipating it’s likely to be worse due to the deteriorating and worsening economic conditions … that was exasperated by Covid-19.”

Further Reading

Migrant arrests at the U.S. border rose to a 13-month high in September (Washington Post)

Speak Your Mind

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Get in Touch

350FansLike
100FollowersFollow
281FollowersFollow
150FollowersFollow

Recommend for You

Oh hi there 👋
It’s nice to meet you.

Subscribe and receive our weekly newsletter packed with awesome articles that really matters to you!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

You might also like

Top 5 Steps involved in Development of Brand Strategy

How to Define Your Brand? One of the most crucial elements as far as professional...

5 Symptoms Of A Retail Zombie, From J. Crew...

The Store Is Open, But Does It Have A Heartbeat? That a number of...

Germany suspends use of AstraZeneca’s Covid shot for the...

Medical syringes and small figurines of people are seen in front of the AstraZeneca...

Ten Airlines Say No Layoffs Before Sept. 1 ...

Flight attendants walk inside a terminal at the Los...