December 2023 saw a significant milestone: more than 302,000 individuals were arrested for illegally entering the US from Mexico.
This number is staggering—equivalent to the entire population of Pittsburgh—and highlights the scale of the challenge faced by authorities in managing illegal border crossings.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas revealed in January that over 85% of individuals detained for illegally crossing the border were being released into the US. This percentage represents a notable increase from 71% in October to 74% in November, indicating a shift in handling such cases.
House Republicans (Credits: The New Yorker)
One of the major hurdles in the asylum process is the massive backlog in processing asylum claims, which can result in a lengthy waiting period for applicants. As a result, asylum claims could take nearly a decade to be fully adjudicated, leading to prolonged uncertainty for asylum seekers.
In fiscal year 2023, approximately 2.5 million individuals were apprehended after illegally crossing the US-Mexico border, which is almost equivalent to the population of Chicago.
Additionally, an estimated 670,000 individuals evaded authorities, known as “getaways,” further highlighting the complexity of border security challenges.
The previous fiscal year, 2022, set a record with nearly 2.4 million apprehensions along the border, marking a significant increase from 1.7 million in 2021.
These numbers underscore the persistent and growing challenges faced by US authorities in managing illegal border crossings and enforcing immigration laws.
