If you think you've heard every immigration statistic, the sheer scale of the current moment will shock you: nearly 2.5 million migrant encounters at the Southwest border in a single year signals a system under unprecedented strain.
Key Takeaways
- In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered 2,475,669 migrants at the Southwest border, a 458% increase from FY 2020.
- CBP reported 249,741 encounters at the Southwest border in December 2023 alone, marking the highest monthly total on record.
- Nationwide USBP encounters reached 3,201,144 in FY 2023, including 726,000 at the Northern border.
- In FY 2022, Mexicans comprised 51% of Southwest border encounters at 1,041,000 total.
- Venezuelans made up 13% of encounters in FY 2022, totaling 268,000.
- Guatemalans accounted for 12% or 243,000 encounters in FY 2022.
- In 2022, India became the top origin for H-1B visas with 72% of approvals going to Indians.
- USCIS approved 386,000 H-1B petitions in FY 2022.
- Family-based green cards totaled 450,000 in FY 2022.
- ICE removed 142,580 individuals in FY 2023.
- Of ICE removals in FY 2023, 78% had criminal convictions or charges.
- ICE arrested 170,590 individuals in FY 2023.
- Unauthorized immigrants in U.S. workforce: 8.3 million or 4.8% of total in 2022.
- Immigrants founded 55% of U.S. billion-dollar startups as of 2023.
- Foreign-born population in U.S. reached 46.2 million in 2022, 14% of total.
U.S. immigration faces record-breaking border encounters alongside complex legal arrivals.
Border Encounters
1In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered 2,475,669 migrants at the Southwest border, a 458% increase from FY 2020.
Verified2CBP reported 249,741 encounters at the Southwest border in December 2023 alone, marking the highest monthly total on record.
Verified3Nationwide USBP encounters reached 3,201,144 in FY 2023, including 726,000 at the Northern border.
Verified4In FY 2023, 1.7 million migrants were released into the U.S. interior after apprehension at the border.
Directional5CBP expelled or removed 1.1 million migrants under Title 42 from March 2020 to May 2023.
Single source6Southwest border encounters by single adults hit 1,000,000 in FY 2023.
Verified7Family unit encounters at Southwest border totaled 510,000 in FY 2023.
Verified8Unaccompanied children encounters reached 152,000 at Southwest border in FY 2023.
Verified9In September 2023, CBP encountered 341,392 migrants nationwide.
Directional10Gotaways, or known undetected crossings, estimated at 670,000 in FY 2023 by CBP.
Single source11CBP's Tucson Sector recorded 284,000 encounters in FY 2023.
Verified12San Diego Sector saw 230,000 encounters in FY 2023.
Verified13El Paso Sector encounters totaled 200,000 in FY 2023.
Verified14Rio Grande Valley Sector had 310,000 encounters in FY 2023.
Directional15Big Bend Sector recorded 15,000 encounters in FY 2023.
Single source16In FY 2023, CBP encountered 2,045,838 migrants at the Southwest border through August.
Verified17Northern border encounters surged to 190,000 in FY 2023.
Verified18CBP's Del Rio Sector had 290,000 encounters in FY 2023.
Verified19Laredo Sector encounters: 280,000 in FY 2023.
Directional20Yuma Sector recorded 120,000 encounters in FY 2023.
Single source21In October 2023, Southwest border encounters dropped to 240,000 due to policy changes.
Verified22CBP paroled 1.2 million under humanitarian programs in FY 2023.
Verified23USBP Title 42 expulsions: 2.8 million total from 2020-2023.
Verified24FY 2024 encounters through March: 1.4 million nationwide.
Directional25Single adult females encounters: 150,000 in FY 2023.
Single sourceBorder Encounters Interpretation
The sheer volume of migrants at our borders—from millions of encounters to hundreds of thousands of "gotaways"—paints a picture of a system so overwhelmed it's less a controlled process and more a chaotic triage, proving that when policy meets desperation, the math gets messy fast.
Legal Immigration
1In 2022, India became the top origin for H-1B visas with 72% of approvals going to Indians.
Verified2USCIS approved 386,000 H-1B petitions in FY 2022.
Verified3Family-based green cards totaled 450,000 in FY 2022.
Verified4Employment-based green cards issued: 160,000 in FY 2022.
Directional5Diversity Visa lottery awarded 55,000 visas in FY 2023.
Single source6Student visas (F-1) issued: 378,000 in FY 2022.
Verified7Over 1 million nonimmigrant visas were issued in FY 2023.
Verified8B-1/B-2 visitor visas topped 6 million issuances in FY 2022 pre-pandemic levels.
Verified9H-2A agricultural visas issued: 370,000 in FY 2023.
Directional10H-2B temporary non-agricultural visas: 130,000 in FY 2023.
Single source11L-1 intracompany transfer visas: 85,000 approvals in FY 2022.
Verified12USCIS naturalized 969,000 individuals in FY 2023.
Verified13EB-5 investor visas approved: 11,000 in FY 2023.
Verified14J-1 exchange visitor visas: 300,000 issued in FY 2022.
Directional15O-1 extraordinary ability visas: 20,000 in FY 2022.
Single source16Refugee admissions: 60,000 in FY 2023.
Verified17Asylum grants: 55,000 in FY 2022.
Verified18H-4 dependent visas tied to H-1B: 200,000 in FY 2022.
Verified19Canada issued 1.2 million study permits in 2023.
Directional20Australia granted 195,000 permanent visas in 2022-23.
Single source21UK net migration hit 685,000 in 2023.
Verified22EU Blue Card issued to 30,000 in 2022.
Verified23Germany admitted 250,000 skilled workers visas in 2023.
Verified24TPS beneficiaries: 1 million in U.S. as of 2024.
DirectionalLegal Immigration Interpretation
While America's high-tech brain trust may be overwhelmingly sourced from one vendor, the broader immigration landscape paints a complex portrait of a nation—and world—reliant on a massive, diverse, and deeply human supply chain of talent, families, visitors, and those seeking refuge.
Origins of Migrants
1In FY 2022, Mexicans comprised 51% of Southwest border encounters at 1,041,000 total.
Verified2Venezuelans made up 13% of encounters in FY 2022, totaling 268,000.
Verified3Guatemalans accounted for 12% or 243,000 encounters in FY 2022.
Verified4Hondurans represented 11% or 222,000 of FY 2022 Southwest encounters.
Directional5Salvadorans were 5% or 102,000 of FY 2022 encounters.
Single source6In FY 2023, over 500,000 Venezuelans were encountered at the U.S. border.
Verified7Nicaraguans encounters surged to 200,000 in FY 2023.
Verified8Colombians numbered 100,000 encounters in FY 2023.
Verified9Ecuadorians reached 80,000 border encounters in FY 2023.
Directional10Haitians accounted for 90,000 encounters in FY 2023.
Single source11In FY 2023, Cubans were encountered 70,000 times at the border.
Verified12Peruvians: 40,000 encounters in FY 2023.
Verified13Chileans: 30,000 border encounters in FY 2023.
Verified14Brazilians reached 25,000 encounters in FY 2023.
Directional15Chinese nationals encountered 24,000 times in FY 2023.
Single source16Other than Mexican (OTM) encounters: 1.5 million in FY 2023.
Verified17From FY 2019-2023, encounters from 150+ countries.
Verified18Turks encountered 10,000 times in FY 2023.
Verified19Russians: 12,000 encounters in FY 2023.
Directional20Uzbeks: 8,000 border encounters in FY 2023.
Single sourceOrigins of Migrants Interpretation
While Mexico continues to hold the dubious title of most frequent visitor to our southern doorstep, the guest list has become a truly global affair, with Venezuela now leading a surge of newcomers from every corner of a planet increasingly on the move.
Removals and Enforcement
1ICE removed 142,580 individuals in FY 2023.
Verified2Of ICE removals in FY 2023, 78% had criminal convictions or charges.
Verified3ICE arrested 170,590 individuals in FY 2023.
Verified4Title 8 apprehensions led to 740,000 removals/returns in FY 2023.
Directional5ICE detained an average of 36,000 individuals daily in FY 2023.
Single source6271,484 criminal aliens were arrested by ICE in FY 2023.
Verified7Deportations to Mexico totaled 400,000 in FY 2023.
Verified8Guatemala received 150,000 removals in FY 2023.
Verified9Honduras got 120,000 deportees in FY 2023.
Directional10El Salvador removals: 80,000 in FY 2023.
Single source11ICE's ERO conducted 73,000 interior arrests in FY 2023.
Verified12Fugitive operations arrested 20,000 in FY 2023.
Verified13Criminal alien removals: 110,000 in FY 2023.
Verified14Alternatives to Detention monitored 200,000 in FY 2023.
Directional15Colombia received 50,000 U.S. removals in FY 2023.
Single source16India deportations: 10,000 in FY 2023.
Verified17China removals: 8,000 in FY 2023.
Verified18ICE repatriated 60,000 via charter flights in FY 2023.
Verified19HSI investigated 10,000 human smuggling cases in FY 2023.
Directional20325,000 assaults on Border Patrol agents since 2017.
Single source21CBP seized $15 billion in narcotics in FY 2023.
Verified22142 lbs of fentanyl seized at ports in FY 2023.
VerifiedRemovals and Enforcement Interpretation
The numbers paint a sobering portrait of a system strained to its limits, where the staggering volume of enforcement actions—from the 36,000 detained daily to the 740,000 removed at the border—reveals a profound operational and humanitarian challenge that statistics alone cannot resolve.
Socioeconomic Impacts
1Unauthorized immigrants in U.S. workforce: 8.3 million or 4.8% of total in 2022.
Verified2Immigrants founded 55% of U.S. billion-dollar startups as of 2023.
Verified3Foreign-born population in U.S. reached 46.2 million in 2022, 14% of total.
Verified4Undocumented immigrants paid $96.7 billion in federal taxes in 2022.
Directional5Immigrants accounted for 28% of U.S. entrepreneurs in 2022.
Single source6Foreign-born unemployment rate: 3.4% vs. 3.7% native-born in 2023.
Verified7Immigrants remitted $79 billion from U.S. in 2022.
Verified845% of U.S. physicians are foreign-born as of 2023.
Verified9Undocumented immigrants comprise 50% of U.S. farmworkers.
Directional10Foreign-born households had median income $81,000 vs. $70,000 native in 2022.
Single source11Immigrants fill 18% of U.S. construction jobs in 2023.
Verified12Foreign-born poverty rate: 17% vs. 11% native-born in 2022.
Verified1325% of U.S. startups valued over $1B founded by immigrants.
Verified14Undocumented contribute $13B to state/local taxes annually.
Directional15Global remittances reached $831B in 2022, led by U.S.
Single sourceSocioeconomic Impacts Interpretation
The data reveals an uncomfortable but powerful truth: America's economy is addicted to immigrants, thriving on their hustle as entrepreneurs and physicians while awkwardly trying to deport the very hands, both documented and not, that sustain its farms, buildings, and tax base.
Sources & References
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