Migrant Border Apprehensions at Highest Level Since Trump’s Election

The apprehension of migrants between ports of entry in October hit its highest level since the election of President Donald Trump. In October 2018 alone, Border Patrol agents apprehended nearly 51,000 illegal immigrants.

The Southwest Border Migration Report issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection last week revealed that Border Patrol agents in the nine sectors that make up the U.S.-Mexico Border apprehended 50,975 migrants who illegally crossed the border between ports of entry. This represents the highest number since the previous record set in November 2016 (47,211), the month U.S. voters elected President Trump.

While the increase from November 2016 to October 2018 represents only an eight percent increase, the demographics of those migrants are dramatically different. During November 2016, agents apprehended 15,558 Family Unit Aliens (FMUA). Those numbers jumped in October 2018 to 23,121 — an increase of 49 percent.

Migrant apprehensions also make a dramatic jump between September and October this year. In September 2018, agents apprehended 41,486 migrants. The following month, that number jumped to 50,975 — an increase of 23 percent.

FMUA apprehensions made up a big part of that jump, climbing from 16,658 in September to 23,121 in October — an increase of 39 percent.

In response to the massively increasing number of illegal border crossings and the coming migrant caravans, President Trump ordered thousands of U.S. military troops to the border to assist Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers.

He also issued a proclamation last week that will bar migrants who enter the U.S. illegally from being able to obtain full asylum privileges.

“The entry of any alien into the United States across the international boundary between the United States and Mexico is hereby suspended and limited,” the proclamation states. “This proclamation shall not apply to any alien who enters the United States at a port of entry and properly presents for inspection, or to any lawful permanent resident of the United States.”

Instead, migrants who enter the U.S. illegally will only be able to apply for a “withholding of removal” which does not provide a path to permanent resident status.