DEL RIO, Texas—Border officials processed a record 260,450 illegal and inadmissible aliens during April, according to newly released Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.
More than 202,300 illegal border crossers were apprehended by Border Patrol agents, while an additional 58,140 individuals presented themselves at ports of entry—21,137 of whom were Ukrainians.
The numbers are an increase of almost 68 percent over fiscal 2021 numbers, which was a record-breaking year on its own.
The number of apprehensions is markedly higher than any April on record, including during the past 10 years, when apprehensions ranged from a low of 11,000 in 2017 to 99,273 in 2019—until last year when April hit 173,701.
Border Patrol agents in Texas are the busiest, with more than 128,000 arrests during April—an average of 4,260 per day. Along the whole southwest border, agents are apprehending an average of 6,700 illegal aliens per day.
Department of Homeland Security officials are warning of an increase in illegal crossings, up to 18,000 per day, once the Title 42 public health authority is revoked. It’s currently set to expire on May 23, pending a Louisiana judge’s decision.
During April, almost 94,700 illegal immigrants (almost 70,000 of whom were Mexican nationals) were quickly expelled under Title 42, while 107,310 were processed under Title 8 immigration law and ushered into the United States.
“The fact is that our borders are not open, and we will continue to remove those who enter our country unlawfully and have no legal basis to stay,” CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus said in a statement.
“After many months of planning, we are executing a comprehensive strategy to safely, orderly, and humanely manage our borders. CBP is surging personnel and resources to the border, increasing processing capacity, securing more ground and air transportation, and increasing medical supplies, food, water, and other resources to ensure a humane environment for those being processed, screened, and vetted.”
