New Border Numbers: A Year Of Chaos & Crisis

WASHINGTON, DC – Amid a global pandemic, the number of illegal border encounters reached an all-time high this fiscal year as a result of President Biden’s open border policies. With yet another migrant caravan currently traveling through Mexico toward the U.S. border, this crisis is clearly not going away. The Biden Administration must take action to secure the border and protect the American people.

Today, Homeland Security Republicans released the latest edition of the “Startling Stats” fact sheet, detailing new data on the crisis at the southwest border.

Download the fact sheet here.

Key Facts:

• Over 1.7 million migrants were apprehended illegally crossing the southwest border this fiscal year – the highest number in history.
• Border encounters spiked dramatically following President Biden’s Executive Order reversing effective border security policies, with more than 1.4 million migrants apprehended since he took office.
• An additional 400,000 people illegally crossed the border and got away this last year, according to former Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott.
• September was the 7th straight month with more than 170,000 encounters – a trend never before recorded.
• 11,201 pounds of fentanyl were seized this year alone – enough to kill 2.5 billion people or the entire U.S. population over seven times.

Ranking Member Katko, along with Homeland Security Committee Republicans and House Republican leadership, introduced the Border Security for America Act of 2021 (H.R. 4828), which would secure our borders by resuming construction of the border wall system, deploying effective technology, and placing more boots on the ground. The legislation earned the support of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents approximately 18,000 Border Patrol Agents and support personnel.