U.S. immigration officials working along the southern border are expected to process more than 300,000 migrants in December, marking the highest monthly figure ever recorded. This includes a notable increase in families traveling with children, as per internal government data obtained by CBS News.
The surge in migrant arrivals this month represents a critical point in a three-year-long crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. This situation has strained resources in both small and large U.S. communities, left numerous migrants in uncertain conditions, led lawmakers to contemplate significant limits on asylum, and created a significant political challenge for President Biden during his reelection bid.
U.S. Border Patrol agents at the Mexican border are set to apprehend approximately a quarter of a million migrants who entered the country illegally this month. Additionally, their counterparts at official ports of entry are anticipated to process around 50,000 new arrivals through a system implemented by the Biden administration.
This December marks the first time that U.S. Customs and Border Protection is expected to process such a large number of migrants along the southern border in a single month, surpassing the previous high recorded in September. During that month, the agency processed nearly 270,000 migrants at and between ports of entry.
In the initial 28 days of December, Border Patrol agents processed nearly 235,000 migrants who crossed the southern border illegally between ports of entry, averaging around 8,400 apprehensions daily. If this pace continues, Border Patrol is projected to report approximately 260,000 apprehensions for the month, setting a new record.
Until December 28, Border Patrol had processed almost 96,000 migrant parents and children traveling together, putting it on course to match or exceed the 103,000 family member apprehensions recorded in September. The challenges posed by families are unique, considering the vulnerability of children and legal restrictions on the detention of minors. Border Patrol also processed 127,000 single adult migrants and nearly 12,000 unaccompanied children during the first 28 days of December.
The surge in illegal crossings this month was partly driven by arrivals from Venezuela, increasing from 23,000 last month to 50,000 in December, according to internal data.
The record spike in migration in December poses the most significant test yet for the Biden administration’s border strategy. The strategy aims to reduce illegal crossings by diverting migrants to legal entry programs and enhancing penalties for those bypassing these channels. Programs include allowing migrants in Mexico to secure daily appointments through a smartphone app for orderly processing at ports of entry and enabling up to 30,000 migrants from certain countries to fly to U.S. airports with financial sponsors.
Despite initially crediting this approach for a two-year low in migrant apprehensions in June, the strategy has faced challenges in recent months. The immigration system is strained by unprecedented migration flows, leading to difficulties in screening and detaining all migrants subject to asylum restrictions. Most migrants who entered the U.S. illegally in recent months have been released with court notices, contributing to a substantial backlog of 3 million pending cases in the immigration court system, which is managed by fewer than 800 immigration judges and faces years-long delays.
