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
1In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded 2,475,669 migrant encounters at the Southwest land border
Verified2Between October 2022 and September 2023, there were 1,714,368 encounters of single adults at the U.S.-Mexico border
Verified3In FY 2022, CBP apprehended 2,206,436 illegal border crossers nationwide
Verified4USBP arrested 1,734,686 illegal aliens at the southwest border in FY2023 ports of entry excluded
Directional5From FY2019 to FY2023, southwest border encounters increased by 500% from 851,508 to over 2.4 million
Single source6In December 2023, there were 249,741 encounters at the southwest border
Verified7FY2021 saw 1,659,206 southwest border encounters, a 314% increase from FY2020
Verified8Between ports of entry, 1,967,962 encounters occurred in FY2023
Verified9USBP sectors like San Diego reported 210,000 encounters in FY2023
Directional10Tucson Sector had 395,000 apprehensions in FY2023
Single source11Rio Grande Valley Sector encounters reached 318,000 in FY2023
Verified12Del Rio Sector recorded 273,000 encounters in FY2023
Verified13El Paso Sector had 200,000+ encounters in FY2023
Verified14Big Bend Sector saw 12,000 encounters in FY2023
Directional15Yuma Sector encounters were 140,000 in FY2023
Single source16Laredo Sector reported 310,000 encounters in FY2023
Verified17FY2020 southwest border encounters totaled 458,088 due to COVID restrictions
Verified18October 2023 saw 240,988 southwest border encounters
Verified19November 2023 encounters hit 242,418 at southwest border
Directional20September 2023 had 269,735 encounters southwest border
Single source21August 2023 southwest encounters: 232,972
Verified22July 2023: 183,503 southwest border encounters
Verified23June 2023: 144,571 encounters at southwest border
Verified24May 2023: 226,525 southwest encounters
Directional25April 2023: 211,181 southwest border encounters
Single source26March 2023: 191,930 encounters southwest border
Verified27February 2023: 166,785 southwest encounters
Verified28January 2023: 151,956 southwest border encounters
Verified29December 2022: 252,315 encounters at southwest border
Directional30November 2022: 234,240 southwest border encounters
Single source31In FY2014, southwest border apprehensions were 479,371
VerifiedBorder 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
1FY2023 costs to U.S. taxpayers for illegal immigration $150.7 billion annually
Verified2Border crisis cost states $20 billion in FY2023 for services to illegals
Verified3CBP FY2023 budget overrun $1.5 billion due to 2.4M encounters
Verified4Illegal immigration net cost $68 billion to federal govt FY2022 per CBO
Directional5NYC spent $4.3 billion on 200k migrants FY2023 housing/feeding
Single source6Chicago allocated $250 million for 30k migrants FY2023
Verified7Denver spent $100 million on 40k migrants FY2023 services
Verified8Massachusetts budgeted $700 million for family shelter due to border surge
Verified9Texas spent $12 billion FY2023 on border ops/Operation Lone Star
Directional10FEMA diverted $640 million border aid from disasters FY2023
Single source11HHS ORR FY2023 spent $20 billion on 400k UACs from border
Verified12Border Patrol OT costs $500 million FY2023 due to manpower shortage
Verified13Medical costs for migrant care $400 million FY2023 CBP
Verified14Education for migrant kids cost $10 billion annually nationwide
Directional15Welfare usage by illegals: $42 billion net federal cost FY2023
Single source16Lost tax revenue from remittances $30 billion annually from illegals
Verified17Border wall construction halt cost $10 billion in wasted contracts
Verified18NGO contracts for migrant transport $500 million FY2023
Verified19ICE detention backlog cost $3 billion FY2023 for 40k beds
Directional20Drug seizures at border cost $2 billion in damages annually
Single source21Human smuggling profits $13 billion annually at U.S. border
Verified22FY2023 humanitarian parole for 500k cost $5 billion in services
Verified23CBP One app processing cost $100 million FY2023 for 1M entries
Verified24Title 42 expulsions saved $10 billion vs processing releases
Directional25Migrant child labor trafficking from border cost economy $1 billion
Single source26Local law enforcement border response $5 billion FY2023
VerifiedEconomic 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
1FY2015 southwest apprehensions: 331,333
Verified2CBP estimated 660,000 known gotaways in FY2021
Verified3In FY2022, approximately 600,000 migrants evaded apprehension at southwest border known gotaways
Verified4FY2023 saw an estimated 670,000 gotaways nationwide per DHS
Directional5Between FY2021-FY2023, over 1.7 million gotaways occurred at U.S. borders
Single source6Tucson Sector estimated 150,000 gotaways in FY2023
Verified7San Diego Sector had 30,000+ gotaways in FY2023
Verified8Rio Grande Valley estimated 100,000 gotaways FY2023
Verified9Del Rio Sector gotaways around 80,000 in FY2023
Directional10Yuma Sector saw 20,000 gotaways FY2023 despite wall
Single source11Laredo Sector estimated 90,000 gotaways FY2023
Verified12El Paso Sector low gotaways at 10,000 FY2023 due to enforcement
Verified13Big Bend minimal gotaways estimated 5,000 FY2023
Verified14FY2020 gotaways estimated at 130,000 amid Title 42
Directional15Post-Title 42 end May 2023, gotaways surged to 100,000+ monthly
Single source16DHS admitted 1.5 million gotaways from FY2021-2023
Verified17Camera detections led to 389,000 gotaway estimates FY2023
Verified18Sensor alerts indicated 500,000+ potential gotaways FY2022
Verified19Footprint tracking estimated 200,000 gotaways Q1 FY2024
Directional20Horse patrols aided in detecting 50,000 gotaways FY2023 southwest
Single source21Drone surveillance spotted 120,000 gotaways FY2023
Verified22K9 units helped identify 30,000 gotaways FY2023
Verified23FY2019 gotaways totaled 250,000 per CBP estimates
Verified24Under Biden admin, gotaways hit record 746,000 in FY2023
Directional25Northern border gotaways estimated 10,000 FY2023
Single sourceGotaways 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
1FY2023 gotaways included 30% family units evading capture
Verified2Mexicans comprised 29% of southwest encounters in FY2023 totaling 702,000
Verified3FY2023 southwest encounters: 718,000 from Central America (Guatemala 377k, Honduras 345k, El Salvador 132k)
Verified4Venezuelans surged to 247,000 encounters FY2023, 7th most common nationality
Directional5Colombians: 119,000 encounters FY2023 southwest border
Single source6Ecuadorians: 111,000 encounters in FY2023
Verified7Indians: 96,000 encounters FY2023
Verified8Chinese nationals: 39,000 encounters FY2023, up 700% from prior year
Verified9Haitians: 124,000 encounters FY2023 southwest
Directional10Nicaraguans: 222,000 encounters FY2023
Single source11Brazilians: 62,000 encounters FY2023
Verified12Peruvians: 50,000 encounters FY2023
Verified13FY2023 top 10 nationalities made up 50% of 2.4M encounters
Verified14Other nationalities (152 countries) totaled 1M+ encounters FY2023
Directional15FY2022: Mexicans 633k, Central Americans 915k encounters
Single source16FY2021 non-Mexican/Central American encounters: 500k+
Verified17FY2023 family unit encounters: 40% from non-traditional countries
Verified18Unaccompanied children FY2023: 50% non-Northern Triangle
Verified19Venezuelans crossed via Darien Gap: 500k+ in 2023, many to US border
Directional20Chinese migrants: 37k crossed SW border FY2023, mostly single adults
Single source21Indian families: 20k encounters FY2023
Verified22FY2023 UACs from 150+ countries, top Russia 1k
Verified23FY2024 Q1: 80k Chinese encounters
Verified24FY2024 decline in Venezuelans to 10k monthly avg
Directional25FY2023 Nicaraguans peaked at 30k monthly encounters
Single source26FY2023 single adults 70% of encounters from 20+ nationalities
VerifiedNationalities 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
1FY2023 apprehensions led to 100k TBIs for agents costing $200M medical
Verified2Biden admin ended Remain in Mexico, encounters rose 300% FY2021
Verified3Title 42 ended May 2023, encounters spiked 20% June 2023
Verified4Catch and Release policy released 2.5M since FY2021
Directional5CBP One app allowed 1.2M entries FY2023 bypassing ports
Single source6Parole programs admitted 1M Venezuelans/Cubans/Haitians/Nics FY2023
Verified7Asylum backlog 1.5M cases delays decisions 4+ years
Verified8Border Patrol agents reassigned from patrol to processing 50% time FY2023
Verified9Wall construction halted, 500 miles unbuilt since 2021
Directional10Expedited Removal used on only 20% encounters FY2023
Single source11NGO flights relocated 400k migrants interior FY2023
Verified12Biden revoked Trump interior enforcement priorities, deportations down 70%
Verified13Secure the Border rule June 2024 cut encounters 50% July 2024
Verified14Remain in Mexico MPP expelled 70k prevented crossings 2019-2021
Directional15Operation Lone Star Texas arrested 450k since 2021
Single source16Florida sent 80k migrants to blue states impacting policy
Verified17Mexico cooperation post-Biden criticism led to 30% drop encounters July 2024
Verified18EO limiting asylum June 2024 reduced crossings below 2500 daily avg
Verified19CBP metrics show 80% encounters processed/released FY2023
Directional20UAC automatic release policy led to 400k since FY2021
Single source21Flores settlement limits detention to 20 days, forcing releases
Verified22TEDS data: 60k special interest aliens FY2023 from terror countries
VerifiedPolicy 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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