The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released its latest report showing that illegal crossings remained low and flat through September, despite nearly 1.4 million migrants being allowed to enter the country lawfully under two controversial Biden-Harris administration programs in less than two years. This final monthly update before Election Day includes operational statistics for fiscal year 2024, which saw a significant decrease in southwest border encounters thanks to increased enforcement efforts, according to Troy A. Miller, the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner. The report also credits a proclamation issued by President Biden to secure the southern border for the decrease in unlawful border crossings.
During the period between June 5 and the end of September, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) removed or returned over 160,000 individuals to over 145 countries, while U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operated more than 495 international repatriation flights. CBP also highlighted the CBP One mobile app for migrants seeking asylum at the southern border, which has drawn scrutiny for its lack of vetting migrants. Additionally, over 852,000 individuals successfully scheduled appointments at ports of entry between January 2023 and the end of September 2024, with the top nationalities processed through the app being Venezuelan, Cuban, Mexican, and Haitian. Over 531,000 nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela arrived lawfully on commercial flights and were granted parole under the process during this time period.
The program allowing nationals from CHNV countries to enter the U.S. on temporary parole for two years and receive a work permit if they pass background checks and have a sponsor has been a topic of controversy, with Republicans opposing what they see as an abuse of parole. The program, first implemented for Venezuelans in October 2022, was extended to other nationalities in January 2023 as part of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to provide lawful pathways for migrants. Despite opposition, the Biden-Harris administration announced it would not extend the legal status of hundreds of thousands of migrants who came to the U.S. through the CHNV program, due to fraud discovered in the program earlier this year.
A statement from the White House in response to CBP’s report emphasized that unlawful border crossings had dropped by more than 55% since President Biden announced new executive actions to secure the border in June, reaching the lowest levels in over four years. The administration defended its handling of the border crisis, pointing to bipartisan efforts that were ultimately rejected by Congressional Republicans. The statement highlighted the decreased encounters between ports of entry and accused Republican officials of prioritizing politics over border security. Overall, the report painted a picture of increased enforcement efforts leading to a decline in illegal crossings, though lawful entry for migrants under certain programs continued to draw scrutiny and opposition.
