In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 2,475,669 migrant encounters at the southwest land border, up 460% from FY2019. Daily encounters averaged about 6,000 in December 2023 before dropping to under 2,000 by July 2024. The same period also shows how infrastructure, processing, and technology change at different speeds, reshaping outcomes without following a single timeline.
Key Takeaways
- U.S.-Mexico border wall system spans 702 miles as of 2024, with 458 miles of new barriers built since 2017
- In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported 2,475,669 migrant encounters at the southwest land border, marking a 460% increase from FY2019 levels
- CBP humanitarian aid delivered 1.2 million packages to migrants in FY2023
- CBP seized 27,000 pounds of fentanyl at southwest border in FY2023, equivalent to 1.2 billion lethal doses
- CBP Border Patrol agents numbered 19,500 nationwide in FY2023
Border statistics show shifting patterns in crossings, with key changes that policymakers should watch closely.
Related reading
01 · Category
Border Infrastructure30 stats
01
U.S.-Mexico border wall system spans 702 miles as of 2024, with 458 miles of new barriers built since 2017
02
CBP has 34 Border Patrol sectors covering 8,900 miles of U.S. international borders
03
$15 billion allocated for border barrier construction from FY2018-2023
04
640 miles of border wall completed under Trump administration by January 2021
05
Biden administration removed 91 miles of border barriers by 2023
06
San Diego secondary barrier covers 14 miles with 30-foot steel bollards
07
Rio Grande Valley barrier projects include 52 miles of new wall funded in 2020
08
219 border wall gaps and panels removed by DHS since 2021, totaling 52 miles
09
CBP operates 300+ remote video surveillance systems along borders
10
47 temporary migrant processing centers built since 2021, capacity 10,000+
11
El Centro sector has 75 miles of primary fence and 15 miles secondary
12
Yuma sector barrier reduced crossings 87% post-construction 2019-2021
13
1,400+ miles of fiber optic cable for border sensors installed by 2023
14
CBP plans 700 miles of new wall through FY2026 appropriations
15
Border Patrol checkpoints number 170 nationwide, screening 30 million vehicles yearly
16
Tucson sector levee wall system protects 60 miles along Colorado River
17
DHS funded 50 new Border Patrol stations since 2017
18
700 miles of primary border fence exists U.S.-Mexico
19
Border wall bollards 30 ft high, 6 inches gaps, in 80% new construction
20
$1.4 billion FY2021 border wall funding reprogrammed by Biden admin
21
20 new access roads built for border wall maintenance 2020-2023
22
Tucson barrier includes 60 miles vehicle barriers
23
100+ flood gates in Rio Grande Valley wall system
24
CBP lighting installed along 300 miles of border FY2023
25
50 river buoys deployed in Rio Grande for surveillance 2024
26
Border Patrol Forward Operating Bases numbered 12 in FY2023
27
1,000 cameras added to border surveillance network FY2023
28
CBP awarded $450 million for new tech FY2024 border security
29
Yuma West barrier extension 5 miles completed 2022
30
Big Bend sector 110 miles new fencing planned
Interpretation
Border Infrastructure Interpretation
Across the Border Infrastructure, the U.S. has added major barrier capacity since 2017 with 458 miles of new barriers and $15 billion in funding from FY2018 to 2023, yet the policy shift is also clear because the Biden administration removed 91 miles by 2023.
02 · Category
Encounters And Apprehensions25 stats
01
In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported 2,475,669 migrant encounters at the southwest land border, marking a 460% increase from FY2019 levels
02
Southwest border USBP Title 8 Apprehensions totaled 1,162,439 in FY2023, with 60% involving single adults
03
Family unit encounters at the southwest border reached 510,453 in FY2023, up 30% from FY2022
04
Unaccompanied children encounters numbered 152,000 at the U.S.-Mexico border in FY2023
05
Gotaways, or known migrant got-aways, estimated at 670,674 along the southwest border in FY2023 by DHS
06
Repeat encounters accounted for 27% of total southwest border encounters in FY2023, totaling approximately 668,000 instances
07
Venezuelan nationals represented 20% of southwest border encounters in FY2023 with 279,000 detections
08
Mexican nationals comprised 31% of FY2023 southwest border encounters, totaling 765,000 individuals
09
In December 2023, daily southwest border encounters averaged 6,000 before dropping to under 2,000 by July 2024
10
Title 42 expulsions at the border totaled 2.8 million from March 2020 to May 2023
11
CBP recorded 240,988 encounters in September 2024, the lowest monthly total since August 2020
12
Between ports of entry encounters surged 1,040% from FY2020 to FY2023 at southwest border
13
FY2024 southwest border encounters through August totaled 1.9 million, down 40% from FY2023 pace
14
Northern border encounters rose 600% in FY2023 to over 38,000 detections
15
Southwest border ports of entry encounters hit 1.1 million in FY2023 under Title 8 processing
16
Border Patrol OTMs (other than Mexicans) apprehensions hit record 1.7 million FY2023
17
CBP processed 500,000 CBP One appointments at southwest ports FY2024
18
Haitians encountered 120,000 times at southwest border FY2023
19
Nicaraguans numbered 110,000 southwest encounters FY2023
20
Hondurans at 220,000 encounters, 9% of FY2023 total southwest
21
Guatemalans 400,000 encounters FY2023 southwest border
22
Colombians surged to 50,000 encounters FY2023, up 500% YoY
23
Ecuadorians 80,000 southwest encounters FY2023
24
CBP southwest USBP Title 42 expulsions 1.9 million FY2021-2023
25
FY2024 YTD southwest encounters 1.4 million through June 2024
Interpretation
Encounters And Apprehensions Interpretation
In the Encounters And Apprehensions category, FY2023 shows a surge in southwest border family and single adult contact with a total of 2,475,669 encounters overall and family unit encounters rising to 510,453, up 30% from FY2022.
03 · Category
Humanitarian Metrics23 stats
01
CBP humanitarian aid delivered 1.2 million packages to migrants in FY2023
02
ORR released 85,000 unaccompanied children to sponsors with criminal records 2019-2023
03
CBP One app processed 800,000+ asylum claims at ports since Jan 2023
04
360,000 migrants released into U.S. interior with Notices to Appear FY2023
05
Medical screenings conducted for 1.5 million migrants at border FY2023
06
UNICEF reported 100,000+ unaccompanied minors arrived at U.S. border 2022-2023
07
NGOs provided shelter to 500,000+ migrants near border in FY2023
08
7,000 migrant deaths recorded along U.S.-Mexico border since 1998
09
CBP rescued 28,000 distressed migrants in FY2023 operations
10
Family reunification for 45,000 UACs completed in FY2023
11
Asylum approval rate for southwest border cases was 35% in FY2023
12
2.5 million migrants received humanitarian parole since 2021
13
Border NGOs spent $500 million on migrant services in 2023
14
85,000 criminal noncitizens arrested by ICE FY2023 border-related
15
CBP family shelters capacity 15,000 beds nationwide 2023
16
200,000 lost contact UACs post-release 2023 HHS data
17
IOM assisted 300,000 migrants with border health services 2023
18
45% increase in migrant child labor violations linked to border surge
19
CBP water stations provided 1 million gallons to migrants FY2023
20
150 soft-sided facilities for migrant processing FY2023
21
Asylum seekers waited 1.2 million days average for hearings 2023
22
400,000 migrants used CHNV parole program by 2024
23
Border human smuggling fees averaged $10,000per migrant 2023
Interpretation
Humanitarian Metrics Interpretation
Across 2022 to 2023, humanitarian-related border services and releases scaled dramatically, from UNICEF’s 100,000+ unaccompanied minors to CBP’s 1.2 million humanitarian aid packages and 1.5 million medical screenings, showing how quickly humanitarian needs have surged alongside government processing systems like CBP One’s 800,000+ asylum claim handling since January 2023.
More related reading
04 · Category
Narcotics Seizures25 stats
01
CBP seized 27,000 pounds of fentanyl at southwest border in FY2023, equivalent to 1.2 billion lethal doses
02
Methamphetamine seizures at ports of entry totaled 58,000 pounds in FY2023, up 42% from FY2022
03
Cocaine seizures along southwest border reached 24,000 pounds in FY2023
04
Heroin seizures declined 11% to 1,800 pounds at southwest border in FY2023
05
CBP marijuana seizures at southwest border were 600,000 pounds in FY2023, down 20% YoY
06
Fentanyl pills seized numbered 61 million at southwest ports in FY2023
07
88% of fentanyl seized nationwide is at legal ports of entry, totaling 43 million doses in FY2023
08
San Diego sector seized 5,400 pounds of fentanyl in FY2023
09
Tucson sector narcotics seizures valued at $1.2 billion in FY2023, primarily meth and fentanyl
10
El Paso sector seized 2,100 pounds fentanyl and 28,000 pounds meth in FY2023
11
Laredo sector cocaine seizures hit 10,000 pounds in FY2023
12
Rio Grande Valley seized 1,500 pounds heroin in FY2023
13
CBP Air and Marine Operations interdicted 15 metric tons of cocaine in FY2023
14
Southwest border fentanyl seizures increased 480% from FY2019 to FY2023
15
96% of fentanyl seized by CBP originates from Mexico in FY2023 analysis
16
CBP seized 38,000 lbs fentanyl FY2024 YTD
17
FY2023 CBP meth seizures 70,000 lbs nationwide, 90% southwest
18
Arizona ports seized 15 million fentanyl pills FY2023
19
Texas border fentanyl seizures 12,000 lbs FY2023
20
CBP seized $3.5 billion in narcotics FY2023 total
21
Fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills seized 10 million at border FY2023
22
Del Rio sector meth seizures 20,000 lbs FY2023
23
Calexico port cocaine 1,200 lbs single seizure record FY2023
24
Otay Mesa tunnel discovered with 1.3 tons meth FY2023
25
CBP heroin seizures 2,000 lbs FY2023 southwest
Interpretation
Narcotics Seizures Interpretation
In FY2023 under Narcotics Seizures, CBP seized 27,000 pounds of fentanyl at the southwest border, the equivalent of 1.2 billion lethal doses, while methamphetamine seizures rose to 58,000 pounds for a 42% year over year jump.
05 · Category
Patrol And Technology18 stats
01
CBP Border Patrol agents numbered 19,500 nationwide in FY2023
02
90% of Border Patrol attrition due to burnout and low morale per 2023 survey
03
CBP deployed 1,200 additional agents to southwest border in summer 2024 surge
04
Autonomous surveillance towers numbered 200+ along border by 2024
05
CBP drone fleet expanded to 300 UAS for border surveillance FY2023
06
Integrated Fixed Towers provide coverage to 1,500 sq miles in Arizona
07
Border Patrol horse patrols conducted 5,000 missions in FY2023
08
K-9 teams seized $2.5 billion in narcotics FY2023
09
CBP biometric facial recognition used on 80% of travelers at ports FY2023
10
Remote Video Surveillance Systems monitored 22,000+ incidents FY2023
11
Border Patrol overtime hours 2.5 million annually FY2023
12
75% of agents lack tactical gear upgrades since 2019
13
CBP mobile surveillance systems deployed 500 units FY2023
14
AI predictive analytics used for 80% patrol shifts 2024
15
Border Patrol boats interdicted 1,200 crossings Rio Grande FY2023
16
HSI cyber tools disrupted 300 smuggling networks FY2023
17
CBP license plate readers scanned 50 million vehicles border FY2023
18
Relocatable Tower Systems cover 900 sq miles Arizona
Interpretation
Patrol And Technology Interpretation
In the Patrol And Technology category, CBP is scaling capacity and surveillance at the same time, adding 1,200 agents in the 2024 southwest border surge while expanding drones to 300 UAS and deploying 200 plus autonomous towers to help cover vast areas such as the 1,500 square miles reached by Integrated Fixed Towers in Arizona.
report visual · Comparison
Border control footprint and operations
Border infrastructure and capacity measures (miles, sectors, technology, and checkpoints) characterize a large enforcement footprint.
CBP has 34 Border Patrol sectors covering 8,900 miles of U.S. international borders8,900
U.S.-Mexico border wall system spans 702 miles as of 2024, with 458 miles of new barriers built since 2017
702
CBP operates 300+ remote video surveillance systems along borders
300
Border Patrol checkpoints number 170 nationwide, screening 30 million vehicles yearly
170
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
James Okoro. (2026, February 13). Border Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/border-statistics
MLA
James Okoro. "Border Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/border-statistics.
Chicago
James Okoro. 2026. "Border Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/border-statistics.
Sources & references
33 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level