U.S. Customs and Border Protection Releases March 2022 Data

History-Making

Surging numbers at the U.S. southwest border hit a new record as the U.S. is on pace for more than 2 million encounters this year alone.

We've never seen numbers like these.

What To Know & Why It Matters

Important To Note

• Under the Biden administration, U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) uses the umbrella term “encounters” in its monthly report.
• This includes many different scenarios “encountered” by CBP agents — such as an individual trying to cross the border illegally, allowed to stay pending pursuit of asylum, or being quickly expelled under a provision re: public health safety during a pandemic (commonly referred to as Title 42).
• Not all “encounters” lead to arrests, detentions, or expulsions — but some do.

The Numbers: March 2022

• More people than ever before: 221,303 total encounters — marking the highest monthly number in more than 20 years.
• 28% of people had at least one previous encounter within the past year; CBP emphasizes this higher-than-usual “re-encounter rate” is due partly to the “large number of expulsions during the pandemic.”
• About half stay for now (pursuing asylum claims or potentially facing arrest) but approx. 50% of the total were swiftly expelled under Title 42 (provision re: public health safety during a pandemic).

Behind The Numbers

• More people than ever before: 221,303 total encounters — marking the highest monthly number in more than 20 years.
• 28% of people had at least one previous encounter within the past year; CBP emphasizes this higher-than-usual “re-encounter rate” is due partly to the “large number of expulsions during the pandemic.”
• About half stay for now (pursuing asylum claims or potentially facing arrest) but approx. 50% of the total were swiftly expelled under Title 42 (provision re: public health safety during a pandemic).

"While we may likely see an increase in encounters after the CDC’s Title 42 Public Health Order is terminated on May 23rd, CBP continues to execute this Administration's comprehensive strategy to safely, orderly, and humanely manage our borders."

U.S. CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus says the govt. is “surging personnel and resources …” ahead of the end of Title 42, as the historic pace is expected to increase when law enforcement loses the ability to expel certain people rapidly.

"When you start hearing San Antonio officials talking like the border officials, saying 'We need help, we need help,' … then we know that the impact has rippled up 150 miles or further."

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D), who represents San Antonio, TX. San Antonio’s mayor wrote to the Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) requesting an increase in humanitarian infrastructure funding and resources as the city sees an “unsustainable increase” in people coming from the southwest border.

On March 30, DHS reported: “Violence, food insecurity, poverty, and lack of economic opportunity in several countries in the Western Hemisphere are driving unprecedented levels of migration to our Southwest Border,” which is only exacerbated by the economic challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Big Picture: Total encounters at the southwest border are at a historic pace, now reaching over 1M in the past 6 months. Context: Fiscal year 2021 (Oct. – Sept.) ended with the highest number of encounters ever recorded (1.7M+).