The U.S.-Mexico border sees a significant number of crossings each year. Understanding these border crossing statistics is crucial for policymakers, researchers, and anyone interested in immigration trends. This article explores the data related to these crossings, including different types of encounters and enforcement actions.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) tracks and publishes data on various types of encounters at the Southwest land border. These encounters are broadly categorized into:
Types of Border Encounters
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Title 8 Enforcement Actions: These actions refer to apprehensions or inadmissibles processed under CBP’s immigration authority.
- Inadmissibles: Individuals encountered at Ports of Entry (POEs) by Office of Field Operations (OFO) who are seeking lawful admission but determined inadmissible, those seeking humanitarian protection, or those who withdraw their application and return to their origin country.
- Apprehensions: The physical control or temporary detainment of a person by U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) between POEs who is not lawfully in the U.S. This may or may not lead to an arrest.
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Title 42 Expulsions: From March 2020 to May 2023, individuals encountered by USBP and OFO were expelled to their country of last transit or home country under Title 42 U.S.C. 265 for public health reasons.
Demographic Breakdown
CBP provides demographic data for both USBP and OFO encounters, including:
- Accompanied Minors (AM): Children under 18 accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Individuals in a Family Unit (FMUA): Individuals apprehended with family members.
- Single Adults: Individuals apprehended without family members.
- Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC): Children under 18 apprehended without a parent or guardian.
Accessing Detailed Statistics
CBP offers detailed statistics broken down by USBP Sector and OFO Field Office. These data are crucial for understanding regional variations in border crossings. For more granular data, you can visit the CBP website:
- Southwest Land Border Encounters (By Component): This resource provides a breakdown of encounters by sector and field office.
Data Accuracy and Availability
The data utilized for these statistics are extracted from live CBP systems and are subject to change due to corrections, system updates, changes in data definitions, and pending final reviews. Final, validated statistics are published at the end of each fiscal year. For the data used to generate these statistics, consult the CBP Data Portal:
- CBP Data Portal: Access the raw data used for official CBP statistics.
Historical Data
For historical data on border encounters, specifically from fiscal years 2017 to 2019, CBP provides resources that offer valuable insights into past trends.
- FY 2017-2019: Access historical data on border encounters from previous fiscal years.
Conclusion
Analyzing U.s.-mexico Border Crossing Statistics By Year reveals important trends in migration patterns. Understanding the various categories of encounters, including Title 8 and Title 42, as well as demographic breakdowns, is essential for informed discussions and policy decisions. Utilizing the resources provided by CBP allows for in-depth analysis and a more comprehensive understanding of the complexities of border crossings. Remember that data is constantly updated, so referring to the official CBP resources is crucial for accurate and up-to-date information.
