U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded 221,303 migrant encounters at the southern border in March, according to a Friday court filing by the agency, in the highest monthly total since President Biden assumed office.
The previous monthly high was 213,593 encounters recorded in July 2021, according to U.S. CBP data. Because some migrants attempt to enter the U.S. several times, the number of encounters can include multiple attempts by the same migrant.
Of the encounters recorded in March 2022, 209,906 were apprehended by the Border Patrol after crossing from Mexico into the U.S. illegally outside of official crossing areas. That number tops the previous high recorded during Biden’s tenure — 200,658 in July 2021 — and is the highest monthly total recorded since March 2000, when the Border Patrol detained 220,063 illegal crossers.
The new data disclosed in the Friday court filing came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the repeal of the Title 42 policy, which allowed border agents to immediately expel migrants in order to avoid the spread of Covid in Border Patrol facilities.
While the repeal is delayed until May 23, Republicans and some Senate Democrats have called on the Biden administration to keep Title 42 in place unless a plan can be formulated to stem a potential surge in illegal crossings.
“I warned them about this months ago, talking to CBP about it and the Department of Homeland Security, and they do not have a plan in place on how to deal with the increased numbers,” Senator Mark Kelly (D., Ariz.), told a Tuscon ABC affiliate on Wednesday. “To be honest, it’s going to be a crisis on top of a crisis.”
Senator Maggie Hassan (D., N.H.) said she “will keep pressing the administration for a comprehensive plan to strengthen border security and deliver additional resources to the border, which is especially important given its recent announcement to end Title 42,” during a visit to the southern border last week.