WASHINGTON — This week, federal officials released the March Southwest border migration statistics. Not since the massive surge of illegal crossings in 2014, have officials seen such numbers.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), “in Fiscal Year 2019 to date, the U.S. Border Patrol has seen a more than 370% increase in the number of family units apprehended compared to the same time period in Fiscal Year 2018.”
Sixty percent of apprehensions along the Southwest border are family units and unaccompanied children, made up predominantly of individuals from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.
“We are currently experiencing a system-wide emergency in our processing and holding facilities. The humanitarian crisis created by a massive influx of family groups and unaccompanied children in recent months has forced CBP to reallocate resources away from law enforcement, trade and travel missions to process and provide care for those in our custody,” said CBP Deputy Commissioner Robert E. Perez. “The impacts to legitimate trade and travel cannot be overstated. As this crisis continues to worsen, it undermines CBP’s ability to perform its dual mission of protecting our borders and facilitating legitimate trade and travel.”
| USBP | Demographic | OCT | NOV | DEC | JAN | FEB | MAR | Total |
| Southwest Border | Unaccompanied Alien Child | 4,968 | 5,259 | 4,755 | 5,113 | 6,828 | 8,975 | 35,898 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Units | 23,116 | 25,164 | 27,507 | 24,189 | 36,531 | 53,077 | 189,584 | |
| Single Adult | 22,922 | 21,432 | 18,489 | 18,682 | 23,525 | 30,555 | 135,605 | |
| Southwest Border Total Apprehensions | 51,006 | 51,855 | 50,751 | 47,984 | 66,884 | 92,607 | 361,087 | |