Katko: Where Are June 2021 Border Numbers?

WASHINGTON, DC — Rep. John Katko (R-NY), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, called out the significant delay in the release of Custom & Border Protection’s (CBP) June 2021 operational update, which includes the number of migrants encountered attempting to illegally cross the border during the month of June.

“From the beginning of the Biden Administration, the lack of transparency from DHS has been extremely concerning. We are halfway through July and DHS has yet to release the June operational update, disclosing CBP enforcement numbers at the border, drug seizures, and human smuggling attempts. This forces the American public to rely on leaks to the media to get the information they rightfully deserve about President Biden’s border crisis. A record number of drugs and gang activity are flowing across the southern border and into our communities, resulting in a significant increase in violence and overdose deaths.

“It’s no secret why there is a delay in disclosing this information. These numbers likely prove the Biden Administration wrong in its desperate claims that June would bring a seasonal drop in encounters at the border. This significant delay is unacceptable. It’s time to reimpose the commonsense border policies of the Trump Administration and prioritize the safety and security of all Americans.”

Background
The June 2021 CBP operational update is delayed when compared to historical release dates. The June 2020 operational update was released on July 9, 2020. The June 2021 operational update will be the latest the Biden Administration has released a monthly update to date.

• May 2021: released on June 9, 2021 reported 180,034 encounters
• April 2021: released on May 11, 2021 reported 178,854 encounters
• March 2021: released on April 8, 2021 reported 173,337 encounters
• February 2021: released on March 10, 2021 reported 101,117 encounters
• January 2021: released on February 10, 2021 reported 78,442 encounters

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