Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) announced on Friday that officers with the agency encountered 188,829 persons attempting entry along the U.S. southern border in June alone.
The June numbers demonstrate a continued rise in attempted illegal border crossings — June’s total represented a five percent increase over May.
The notable increase in illegal border crossing encounters is even more sharp when put into comparison with last year’s totals. In June 2020, CBP reported only a little over 33,000 encounters — compared to the 188,000 announced today.
However, the dramatic surge of crossings appears to have greater ramifications for the United States than just unlawful entry by immigrants. According to the CBP press release, drug trafficking has also skyrocketed in the region.
“Cocaine interceptions increased 36 percent. Seizures of methamphetamine decreased 22 percent. Seizures of heroin decreased 16 percent, and seizures of fentanyl increased 12 percent,” CBP detailed in their statement.
Additionally, fentanyl seizures in 2021 through June are 78 percent higher than the entire total of Fiscal Year 2020.
“We are in the hottest part of the summer, and we are seeing a high number of distress calls to CBP from migrants abandoned in treacherous terrain by smugglers with no regard for human life. Although CBP does everything it can to locate and rescue individuals who are lost or distressed, the bottom line is this: the terrain along the border is extreme, the summer heat is severe, and the miles of desert migrants must hike after crossing the border in many areas are unforgiving,” said CBP Acting Commissioner Troy Miller.
In Arizona, state attorney general Mark Brnovich criticized President Joe Biden’s administration for the sizable increase.
“The rate of encounters is mounting while the Biden Administration continues to incentivize illegal immigration,” Brnovich said in a tweet.
New today: CBP reveals 188,829 migrants tried to illegally cross the southwest border in June. The rate of encounters is mounting while the Biden Administration continues to incentivize illegal immigration. pic.twitter.com/SisUnrdDyy
— Mark Brnovich (@GeneralBrnovich) July 16, 2021
Reports have also surfaced that indicate that the Biden administration will lift Title 42 restrictions — a policy implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for the Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]
