Advertisement

Updated October 21st, 2021 at 12:56 IST

US-Mexico border detentions in 2021 at record high, over 17 lakh deported: Report

US officials apprehended more than 1.7 million migrants along the Mexican border During the fiscal year 2021, which concluded in September.

Reported by: Anurag Roushan
US
Image: Unsplash/PTI/Representative | Image:self
Advertisement

Before the end of Q2 of the fiscal year 2021, which concluded in September, US officials apprehended more than 1.7 million migrants along the Mexican border, with Border Patrol arrests reaching new highs since 1986, reported The Washington Post citing unpublished US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data. Illegal crossings began to rise last year but peaked after Joe Biden took over as US President. Biden called the uptick in CBP arrests this spring as "consistent with previous seasonal patterns." However, the busiest months were July and August, when over 200,000 migrants were apprehended. 

On Tuesday, October 19, Republican senators asked Tucson police chief Chris Magnus, who has been nominated to lead CBP, to call the surge a "crisis" during a confirmation hearing. "It's a huge challenge," Magnus said, echoing the Biden administration's preferred term and added that "the numbers are pretty high." The statistics for the fiscal year 2021 is scheduled to be released later this week by CBP, reported The Washington Post. 

'Border enforcement: A big political liability for Biden administration'

The report further stated that President Biden's handling of immigration remains his worst-polling concern, and border enforcement has become a big political liability for him. In contrast to former President Donald Trump, whose zero-tolerance family separation policy sparked an international outcry in 2018, Biden promised on the campaign trail to make the United States more friendly to immigrants. During the transition, Biden stated that he intended to proceed with caution on immigration policy in order to avoid having "2 million people on the US border." Since taking over the charge of the White House, the Biden administration promptly suspended border wall construction, repealed the "Remain in Mexico" policy, reversed significant asylum limits, and imposed a 100-day moratorium on most deportations and enforcement by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, reported the US daily. 

'Biden administration's challenges extend far beyond Central America'

According to the CBP data, the administration's challenges extend far beyond Central America. During the fiscal year 2021, the Border Patrol arrested more than 608,000 Mexican nationals, making it the single largest source of illegal migration. As a result, the Biden administration finds itself in a delicate position, relying on Mexico to increase enforcement and halt caravan groups from moving north. Meanwhile, officials from Biden's administration are in talks with Mexican officials in order to comply with federal court orders to reinstate the "Remain in Mexico" policy, which compels asylum seekers to wait outside of US territory until their claims are reviewed, reported The Washington Times.

Apart from Mexico and Central America, the second-largest grouping was composed of migrants from countries likes, Haiti, Venezuela, Ecuador, Cuba, Brazil and dozens of other nations. The CBP data says they accounted for a total of 367,000 arrests. They were followed by migrants from Honduras (309,000), Guatemala (279,000) and El Salvador (96,000), reported The Washington Post citing CBC data. 

Image: Unsplash/PTI/Representative

Advertisement

Published October 21st, 2021 at 12:56 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo