The Mexico-united States Border is a region of significant focus regarding migration and border security. To understand the complexities at this critical area, it is essential to analyze the data surrounding encounters between individuals and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials. This data, compiled by the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) and the Office of Field Operations (OFO), provides crucial insights into the trends and demographics of these encounters.
CBP categorizes these encounters into several key types, primarily under Title 8 and Title 42 of the U.S. Code. Title 8 Enforcement Actions encompass apprehensions and inadmissibles. Apprehensions refer to the temporary detainment of individuals by USBP between official ports of entry who are not legally authorized to be in the United States. Inadmissibles, on the other hand, are individuals encountered by OFO at ports of entry. This category includes those seeking legal admission but deemed inadmissible, individuals requesting humanitarian protection, and those who withdraw their application for entry.
From March 2020 to May 2023, Title 42 Expulsions were also a significant factor. Title 42 allowed for the expulsion of individuals encountered at the border, based on public health concerns. These expulsions, conducted by both USBP and OFO, returned individuals to their country of last transit or their home country.
The demographic data associated with these encounters further illuminates the situation at the Mexico-United States border. CBP records encounters based on categories such as:
- Accompanied Minors (AM): Children traveling with a parent or legal guardian.
- Individuals in a Family Unit (FMUA): Groups of individuals, including children and adults, presenting as a family.
- Single Adults: Individuals encountered traveling alone.
- Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) / Single Minors: Children encountered without a parent or legal guardian.
These categories help provide a clearer picture of who is being encountered at the border. The data, which is regularly updated and available through the CBP Data Portal, is crucial for policymakers, researchers, and the public to understand the dynamics at the Mexico-United States border. It is important to note that the data is subject to change due to ongoing updates and reviews, with final statistics compiled at the end of each fiscal year. For more detailed information and to access the raw data, the CBP Data Portal serves as a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of encounters at the Mexico-United States border.
