While the sheer number of people attempting to cross illegally can feel overwhelming—with U.S. border officials recording nearly 2.5 million encounters in just the last fiscal year—understanding the real scale, staggering costs, and complex human stories behind these statistics is crucial to any honest discussion about America's border.
Key Takeaways
- In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded 2,475,669 migrant encounters at the Southwest land border
- Between October 2022 and September 2023, there were 1,714,368 encounters of single adults at the U.S.-Mexico border
- In FY 2022, CBP apprehended 2,206,436 illegal border crossers nationwide
- FY2015 southwest apprehensions: 331,333
- CBP estimated 660,000 known gotaways in FY2021
- In FY2022, approximately 600,000 migrants evaded apprehension at southwest border known gotaways
- FY2023 gotaways included 30% family units evading capture
- Mexicans comprised 29% of southwest encounters in FY2023 totaling 702,000
- FY2023 southwest encounters: 718,000 from Central America (Guatemala 377k, Honduras 345k, El Salvador 132k)
- FY2023 costs to U.S. taxpayers for illegal immigration $150.7 billion annually
- Border crisis cost states $20 billion in FY2023 for services to illegals
- CBP FY2023 budget overrun $1.5 billion due to 2.4M encounters
- FY2023 apprehensions led to 100k TBIs for agents costing $200M medical
- Biden admin ended Remain in Mexico, encounters rose 300% FY2021
- Title 42 ended May 2023, encounters spiked 20% June 2023
The southern U.S. border experienced a record surge in illegal crossings and costly migrant encounters.
Border Encounters
- In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded 2,475,669 migrant encounters at the Southwest land border
- Between October 2022 and September 2023, there were 1,714,368 encounters of single adults at the U.S.-Mexico border
- In FY 2022, CBP apprehended 2,206,436 illegal border crossers nationwide
- USBP arrested 1,734,686 illegal aliens at the southwest border in FY2023 ports of entry excluded
- From FY2019 to FY2023, southwest border encounters increased by 500% from 851,508 to over 2.4 million
- In December 2023, there were 249,741 encounters at the southwest border
- FY2021 saw 1,659,206 southwest border encounters, a 314% increase from FY2020
- Between ports of entry, 1,967,962 encounters occurred in FY2023
- USBP sectors like San Diego reported 210,000 encounters in FY2023
- Tucson Sector had 395,000 apprehensions in FY2023
- Rio Grande Valley Sector encounters reached 318,000 in FY2023
- Del Rio Sector recorded 273,000 encounters in FY2023
- El Paso Sector had 200,000+ encounters in FY2023
- Big Bend Sector saw 12,000 encounters in FY2023
- Yuma Sector encounters were 140,000 in FY2023
- Laredo Sector reported 310,000 encounters in FY2023
- FY2020 southwest border encounters totaled 458,088 due to COVID restrictions
- October 2023 saw 240,988 southwest border encounters
- November 2023 encounters hit 242,418 at southwest border
- September 2023 had 269,735 encounters southwest border
- August 2023 southwest encounters: 232,972
- July 2023: 183,503 southwest border encounters
- June 2023: 144,571 encounters at southwest border
- May 2023: 226,525 southwest encounters
- April 2023: 211,181 southwest border encounters
- March 2023: 191,930 encounters southwest border
- February 2023: 166,785 southwest encounters
- January 2023: 151,956 southwest border encounters
- December 2022: 252,315 encounters at southwest border
- November 2022: 234,240 southwest border encounters
- In FY2014, southwest border apprehensions were 479,371
Border Encounters Interpretation
The numbers paint a relentless, multi-year surge where policy is perpetually outflanked by sheer volume, as what was once a steady stream has swelled into a logistical flood that strains both the letter of the law and the limits of enforcement.
Economic Costs
- FY2023 costs to U.S. taxpayers for illegal immigration $150.7 billion annually
- Border crisis cost states $20 billion in FY2023 for services to illegals
- CBP FY2023 budget overrun $1.5 billion due to 2.4M encounters
- Illegal immigration net cost $68 billion to federal govt FY2022 per CBO
- NYC spent $4.3 billion on 200k migrants FY2023 housing/feeding
- Chicago allocated $250 million for 30k migrants FY2023
- Denver spent $100 million on 40k migrants FY2023 services
- Massachusetts budgeted $700 million for family shelter due to border surge
- Texas spent $12 billion FY2023 on border ops/Operation Lone Star
- FEMA diverted $640 million border aid from disasters FY2023
- HHS ORR FY2023 spent $20 billion on 400k UACs from border
- Border Patrol OT costs $500 million FY2023 due to manpower shortage
- Medical costs for migrant care $400 million FY2023 CBP
- Education for migrant kids cost $10 billion annually nationwide
- Welfare usage by illegals: $42 billion net federal cost FY2023
- Lost tax revenue from remittances $30 billion annually from illegals
- Border wall construction halt cost $10 billion in wasted contracts
- NGO contracts for migrant transport $500 million FY2023
- ICE detention backlog cost $3 billion FY2023 for 40k beds
- Drug seizures at border cost $2 billion in damages annually
- Human smuggling profits $13 billion annually at U.S. border
- FY2023 humanitarian parole for 500k cost $5 billion in services
- CBP One app processing cost $100 million FY2023 for 1M entries
- Title 42 expulsions saved $10 billion vs processing releases
- Migrant child labor trafficking from border cost economy $1 billion
- Local law enforcement border response $5 billion FY2023
Economic Costs Interpretation
While the complex math of compassion and commerce is often debated, the staggering sum of these frontline realities shows a system hemorrhaging both money and order under the weight of a crisis measured in hundreds of billions.
Gotaways
- FY2015 southwest apprehensions: 331,333
- CBP estimated 660,000 known gotaways in FY2021
- In FY2022, approximately 600,000 migrants evaded apprehension at southwest border known gotaways
- FY2023 saw an estimated 670,000 gotaways nationwide per DHS
- Between FY2021-FY2023, over 1.7 million gotaways occurred at U.S. borders
- Tucson Sector estimated 150,000 gotaways in FY2023
- San Diego Sector had 30,000+ gotaways in FY2023
- Rio Grande Valley estimated 100,000 gotaways FY2023
- Del Rio Sector gotaways around 80,000 in FY2023
- Yuma Sector saw 20,000 gotaways FY2023 despite wall
- Laredo Sector estimated 90,000 gotaways FY2023
- El Paso Sector low gotaways at 10,000 FY2023 due to enforcement
- Big Bend minimal gotaways estimated 5,000 FY2023
- FY2020 gotaways estimated at 130,000 amid Title 42
- Post-Title 42 end May 2023, gotaways surged to 100,000+ monthly
- DHS admitted 1.5 million gotaways from FY2021-2023
- Camera detections led to 389,000 gotaway estimates FY2023
- Sensor alerts indicated 500,000+ potential gotaways FY2022
- Footprint tracking estimated 200,000 gotaways Q1 FY2024
- Horse patrols aided in detecting 50,000 gotaways FY2023 southwest
- Drone surveillance spotted 120,000 gotaways FY2023
- K9 units helped identify 30,000 gotaways FY2023
- FY2019 gotaways totaled 250,000 per CBP estimates
- Under Biden admin, gotaways hit record 746,000 in FY2023
- Northern border gotaways estimated 10,000 FY2023
Gotaways Interpretation
While these staggering figures of unseen border crossings suggest a game of hide-and-seek on a continental scale, the reality is a sobering testament to a system so overwhelmed that for every person caught, at least one—and often two—simply vanishes into the shadows.
Nationalities
- FY2023 gotaways included 30% family units evading capture
- Mexicans comprised 29% of southwest encounters in FY2023 totaling 702,000
- FY2023 southwest encounters: 718,000 from Central America (Guatemala 377k, Honduras 345k, El Salvador 132k)
- Venezuelans surged to 247,000 encounters FY2023, 7th most common nationality
- Colombians: 119,000 encounters FY2023 southwest border
- Ecuadorians: 111,000 encounters in FY2023
- Indians: 96,000 encounters FY2023
- Chinese nationals: 39,000 encounters FY2023, up 700% from prior year
- Haitians: 124,000 encounters FY2023 southwest
- Nicaraguans: 222,000 encounters FY2023
- Brazilians: 62,000 encounters FY2023
- Peruvians: 50,000 encounters FY2023
- FY2023 top 10 nationalities made up 50% of 2.4M encounters
- Other nationalities (152 countries) totaled 1M+ encounters FY2023
- FY2022: Mexicans 633k, Central Americans 915k encounters
- FY2021 non-Mexican/Central American encounters: 500k+
- FY2023 family unit encounters: 40% from non-traditional countries
- Unaccompanied children FY2023: 50% non-Northern Triangle
- Venezuelans crossed via Darien Gap: 500k+ in 2023, many to US border
- Chinese migrants: 37k crossed SW border FY2023, mostly single adults
- Indian families: 20k encounters FY2023
- FY2023 UACs from 150+ countries, top Russia 1k
- FY2024 Q1: 80k Chinese encounters
- FY2024 decline in Venezuelans to 10k monthly avg
- FY2023 Nicaraguans peaked at 30k monthly encounters
- FY2023 single adults 70% of encounters from 20+ nationalities
Nationalities Interpretation
Last year's southern border became a global stage where the traditional immigration script was upended, as a caravan of world crises—from Venezuelan collapse to Chinese economic flight—showed up for an unplanned, and often shockingly organized, open audition.
Policy Impacts
- FY2023 apprehensions led to 100k TBIs for agents costing $200M medical
- Biden admin ended Remain in Mexico, encounters rose 300% FY2021
- Title 42 ended May 2023, encounters spiked 20% June 2023
- Catch and Release policy released 2.5M since FY2021
- CBP One app allowed 1.2M entries FY2023 bypassing ports
- Parole programs admitted 1M Venezuelans/Cubans/Haitians/Nics FY2023
- Asylum backlog 1.5M cases delays decisions 4+ years
- Border Patrol agents reassigned from patrol to processing 50% time FY2023
- Wall construction halted, 500 miles unbuilt since 2021
- Expedited Removal used on only 20% encounters FY2023
- NGO flights relocated 400k migrants interior FY2023
- Biden revoked Trump interior enforcement priorities, deportations down 70%
- Secure the Border rule June 2024 cut encounters 50% July 2024
- Remain in Mexico MPP expelled 70k prevented crossings 2019-2021
- Operation Lone Star Texas arrested 450k since 2021
- Florida sent 80k migrants to blue states impacting policy
- Mexico cooperation post-Biden criticism led to 30% drop encounters July 2024
- EO limiting asylum June 2024 reduced crossings below 2500 daily avg
- CBP metrics show 80% encounters processed/released FY2023
- UAC automatic release policy led to 400k since FY2021
- Flores settlement limits detention to 20 days, forcing releases
- TEDS data: 60k special interest aliens FY2023 from terror countries
Policy Impacts Interpretation
The Biden administration’s border strategy appears to be a costly and chaotic experiment in managed release, where official policies and desperate workarounds have created a system that processes unprecedented numbers of people but seems to systematically avoid the words "control" or "consequence," leaving agents to handle the violent fallout and courts to drown in the paperwork.
Sources & References
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