The number of illegal alien encounters rose in February after a slight decrease in January. According to DHS data, the rise was primarily due to single adult migrants, particularly from Mexico, who illegally crossed the border at their highest rate in many years.
In total, Customs and Border Protection encountered 164,973 illegal aliens in Feb., an increase of 6.6% compared to Jan. Border Patrol tallied 158,132 alien encounters (a rise of 7% from Jan.), while the Office of Field Operations added 6,841 alien encounters (a 2.2% decrease from Jan.).
Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Chris Magus referred to the increase as a “slight uptick,” despite the Feb total being up 60% compared to February of 2021.
According to CBP, 71,210 of the alien encounters were migrants from Mexico, predominantly single alien adults - an increase of 40% compared to a few months earlier. Magnus stated that a ‘majority’ of those aliens were expelled back across the border under the CDC’s pandemic health emergency order, Title-42.
The number of unaccompanied alien minors illegally crossing the border also rose sharply. Border Patrol reported encountering 11,810 UACs - a 37% jump compared to Jan. Additionally, approximately 25,000 alien family units were encountered in Feb, nearly a 50% reduction compared to Jan.
Magnus also reported that heroin seizures spiked 173% in Feb, the amount of cocaine seized also rose 83%, and methamphetamines crossing the border rose 97%. Fentanyl seizures, the most startling record-setter in previous months, actually dropped 21% compared to Jan. of 2022.
You can read more at The Washington Times.
