The southern border of the United States has been amid an ongoing crisis for over two years, with no end in sight. The latest milestone in this crisis was reached last week. Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Gloria Chavez announced that Border Patrol agents had encountered over one million illegal migrants since the start of the fiscal year in October.
While Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reached the one million mark last month, the Border Patrol's numbers refer specifically to those encountered between ports of entry. This marks a staggering increase from just 400,000 Border Patrol engages in FY 2020, with numbers shooting up to 1.6 million in FY 21 and 2.2 million in FY 22.
Despite recent measures put in place by the Biden administration, the border crisis continues to strain the resources of the Border Patrol. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz has openly admitted that the agency needs operational control of the southern border and that several sectors need to be more secure due to the overwhelming numbers they are facing.
The Biden administration has noted a decrease in numbers at the border since December, attributing it to measures such as a humanitarian parole program allowing 30,000 people from certain countries to enter the U.S. each month and expanding Title 42 expulsions to those nationalities. However, the program is currently facing a lawsuit from 20 Republican states who claim that the broad use of parole is unlawful. Moreover, Title 42 is set to expire on May 11 along with the end of the public health emergency for COVID-19, sparking fears of another surge in migration when the order lapses.
Conclusion
The southern border crisis continues to pose a significant challenge for the U.S. government and Border Patrol agents. The Biden administration has also addressed the problem, as seen by a recent drop in migrant interactions. However, significant work remains to safeguard the border and handle the current situation.
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