WASHINGTON, D.C. —The House Committee on Homeland Security has released its latest “Startling Stats” factsheet documenting U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) border encounter data for November 2023, which marks the second chaotic month of Fiscal Year (FY) 2024.

Last month’s CBP data encapsulates part of why this Committee will be taking up articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, as this crisis is only further spinning out of control through his intentionally reckless catch-and-release policies and refusal to enforce the laws passed by Congress. Last month was the worst November on record. In November, the agency recorded 308,728 encounters nationwide, including 242,418 at the Southwest border. Through just two months of FY2024, total encounters at official ports of entry (235,018) already nearly surpass those for all of FY2020 (241,786).

Sadly, many of these individuals were released into the interior with a “Notice to Appear” (NTA),with a court date often years in the future, even though DHS’ own reporting shows that illegal aliens released into the interior and not removed within a year are rarely actually removed. Last month alone, 130,712 illegal aliens encountered between ports of entry at the Southwest border were released into our communities with NTAs rather than detained.

As this unprecedented crisis continues, Mayorkas is diverting more and more resources to support his catch-and-release policies rather than securing our border. In November, a Border Patrol checkpoint in Lukeville, Arizona, was closed so CBP officers and Border Patrol agents could process a mass influx of inadmissible aliens into the country. Last month, more Border Patrol agents along the northern and coastal borders were asked to help with virtual processing of aliens encountered at the Southwest border.

As detailed in the Committee’s transcribed interviews with eight chief patrol agents and one deputy chief patrol agent for the sectors along the Southwest border, closing checkpoints, taking agents out of the field, and engaging in mass catch-and-release all incentivize more illegal activity, even encouraging illegal aliens to turn themselves in so they can just be released. These actions leave sections of our borders more vulnerable to gotaways and drug smuggling. Last month, these consequences were evident.

Key Facts:

• CBP recorded 308,728 encounters nationwide in November, including 242,418 at the Southwest border. Southwest border encounters increased nearly 40% compared to November 2021. 
• Since President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas took office, there have been 8 million encounters nationwide and over 6.7 million encounters at the Southwest border.
• Since the beginning of the Biden administration, over 1.7 million known gotaways have evaded U.S. Border Patrol. 
• Encounters by the Office of Field Operations (OFO) nationwide in November increased 54% compared to November 2022, totaling 116,366. 
• 43,000 inadmissible aliens were processed by OFO with CBP One app appointments in November. Since January 2023, 360,000 individuals have scheduled appointments with the app.
• In November 2023, 4,797 Chinese nationals were encountered at the Southwest border. This represents a nearly 800% increase compared to November 2022. 
• In November 2023, 18 more individuals whose names appear on the terrorist watchlist were stopped trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border between ports of entry. 
• In November, CBP arrested 6,422 aliens with criminal convictions nationwide, including 83 known gang members, 10 of those being MS-13 members. 
• Last month, CBP, including Air and Marine Operations, seized 1,846 pounds of fentanyl coming across the Southwest border—enough to kill more than 400 million people. 
• Encounters at the northern border in November 2023 increased 160% compared to November 2021 and increased 5% compared to November 2022.

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