Border authorities recorded 2.4 million encounters with migrants at the southwest land border. Single adults accounted for 1.7 million of those crossings. The data also shows 670,000 known gotaways alongside shifts in nationalities and costs that reached 150 billion dollars.
Key Takeaways
- In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded 2,475,669 migrant encounters at the Southwest land border
- FY2023 costs to U.S. taxpayers for illegal immigration $150.7 billion annually
- FY2015 southwest apprehensions: 331,333
- FY2023 gotaways included 30% family units evading capture
- FY2023 apprehensions led to 100k TBIs for agents costing $200M medical
Illegal border crossings have surged recently, highlighting urgent pressure on border resources and enforcement.
Related reading
01 · Category
Border Encounters30 stats
01
In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded 2,475,669 migrant encounters at the Southwest land border
02
Between October 2022 and September 2023, there were 1,714,368 encounters of single adults at the U.S.-Mexico border
03
In FY 2022, CBP apprehended 2,206,436 illegal border crossers nationwide
04
USBP arrested 1,734,686 illegal aliens at the southwest border in FY2023 ports of entry excluded
05
From FY2019 to FY2023, southwest border encounters increased by 500% from 851,508 to over 2.4 million
06
In December 2023, there were 249,741 encounters at the southwest border
07
FY2021 saw 1,659,206 southwest border encounters, a 314% increase from FY2020
08
Between ports of entry, 1,967,962 encounters occurred in FY2023
09
USBP sectors like San Diego reported 210,000 encounters in FY2023
10
Tucson Sector had 395,000 apprehensions in FY2023
11
Rio Grande Valley Sector encounters reached 318,000 in FY2023
12
Del Rio Sector recorded 273,000 encounters in FY2023
13
El Paso Sector had 200,000+ encounters in FY2023
14
Big Bend Sector saw 12,000 encounters in FY2023
15
Yuma Sector encounters were 140,000 in FY2023
16
Laredo Sector reported 310,000 encounters in FY2023
17
FY2020 southwest border encounters totaled 458,088 due to COVID restrictions
18
October 2023 saw 240,988 southwest border encounters
19
November 2023 encounters hit 242,418 at southwest border
20
September 2023 had 269,735 encounters southwest border
21
August 2023 southwest encounters: 232,972
22
July 2023: 183,503 southwest border encounters
23
June 2023: 144,571 encounters at southwest border
24
May 2023: 226,525 southwest encounters
25
April 2023: 211,181 southwest border encounters
26
March 2023: 191,930 encounters southwest border
27
February 2023: 166,785 southwest encounters
28
January 2023: 151,956 southwest border encounters
29
December 2022: 252,315 encounters at southwest border
30
November 2022: 234,240 southwest border encounters
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Economic Costs26 stats
01
FY2023 costs to U.S. taxpayers for illegal immigration $150.7 billion annually
02
Border crisis cost states $20 billion in FY2023 for services to illegals
03
CBP FY2023 budget overrun $1.5 billion due to 2.4M encounters
04
Illegal immigration net cost $68 billion to federal govt FY2022 per CBO
05
NYC spent $4.3 billion on 200k migrants FY2023 housing/feeding
06
Chicago allocated $250 million for 30k migrants FY2023
07
Denver spent $100 million on 40k migrants FY2023 services
08
Massachusetts budgeted $700 million for family shelter due to border surge
09
Texas spent $12 billion FY2023 on border ops/Operation Lone Star
10
FEMA diverted $640 million border aid from disasters FY2023
11
HHS ORR FY2023 spent $20 billion on 400k UACs from border
12
Border Patrol OT costs $500 million FY2023 due to manpower shortage
13
Medical costs for migrant care $400 million FY2023 CBP
14
Education for migrant kids cost $10 billion annually nationwide
15
Welfare usage by illegals: $42 billion net federal cost FY2023
16
Lost tax revenue from remittances $30 billion annually from illegals
17
Border wall construction halt cost $10 billion in wasted contracts
18
NGO contracts for migrant transport $500 million FY2023
19
ICE detention backlog cost $3 billion FY2023 for 40k beds
20
Drug seizures at border cost $2 billion in damages annually
21
Human smuggling profits $13 billion annually at U.S. border
22
FY2023 humanitarian parole for 500k cost $5 billion in services
23
CBP One app processing cost $100 million FY2023 for 1M entries
24
Title 42 expulsions saved $10 billion vs processing releases
25
Migrant child labor trafficking from border cost economy $1 billion
26
Local law enforcement border response $5 billion FY2023
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Gotaways25 stats
01
FY2015 southwest apprehensions: 331,333
02
CBP estimated 660,000 known gotaways in FY2021
03
In FY2022, approximately 600,000 migrants evaded apprehension at southwest border known gotaways
04
FY2023 saw an estimated 670,000 gotaways nationwide per DHS
05
Between FY2021-FY2023, over 1.7 million gotaways occurred at U.S. borders
06
Tucson Sector estimated 150,000 gotaways in FY2023
07
San Diego Sector had 30,000+ gotaways in FY2023
08
Rio Grande Valley estimated 100,000 gotaways FY2023
09
Del Rio Sector gotaways around 80,000 in FY2023
10
Yuma Sector saw 20,000 gotaways FY2023 despite wall
11
Laredo Sector estimated 90,000 gotaways FY2023
12
El Paso Sector low gotaways at 10,000 FY2023 due to enforcement
13
Big Bend minimal gotaways estimated 5,000 FY2023
14
FY2020 gotaways estimated at 130,000 amid Title 42
15
Post-Title 42 end May 2023, gotaways surged to 100,000+ monthly
16
DHS admitted 1.5 million gotaways from FY2021-2023
17
Camera detections led to 389,000 gotaway estimates FY2023
18
Sensor alerts indicated 500,000+ potential gotaways FY2022
19
Footprint tracking estimated 200,000 gotaways Q1 FY2024
20
Horse patrols aided in detecting 50,000 gotaways FY2023 southwest
21
Drone surveillance spotted 120,000 gotaways FY2023
22
K9 units helped identify 30,000 gotaways FY2023
23
FY2019 gotaways totaled 250,000 per CBP estimates
24
Under Biden admin, gotaways hit record 746,000 in FY2023
25
Northern border gotaways estimated 10,000 FY2023
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Nationalities26 stats
01
FY2023 gotaways included 30% family units evading capture
02
Mexicans comprised 29% of southwest encounters in FY2023 totaling 702,000
03
FY2023 southwest encounters: 718,000 from Central America (Guatemala 377k, Honduras 345k, El Salvador 132k)
04
Venezuelans surged to 247,000 encounters FY2023, 7th most common nationality
05
Colombians: 119,000 encounters FY2023 southwest border
06
Ecuadorians: 111,000 encounters in FY2023
07
Indians: 96,000 encounters FY2023
08
Chinese nationals: 39,000 encounters FY2023, up 700% from prior year
09
Haitians: 124,000 encounters FY2023 southwest
10
Nicaraguans: 222,000 encounters FY2023
11
Brazilians: 62,000 encounters FY2023
12
Peruvians: 50,000 encounters FY2023
13
FY2023 top 10 nationalities made up 50% of 2.4M encounters
14
Other nationalities (152 countries) totaled 1M+ encounters FY2023
15
FY2022: Mexicans 633k, Central Americans 915k encounters
16
FY2021 non-Mexican/Central American encounters: 500k+
17
FY2023 family unit encounters: 40% from non-traditional countries
18
Unaccompanied children FY2023: 50% non-Northern Triangle
19
Venezuelans crossed via Darien Gap: 500k+ in 2023, many to US border
20
Chinese migrants: 37k crossed SW border FY2023, mostly single adults
21
Indian families: 20k encounters FY2023
22
FY2023 UACs from 150+ countries, top Russia 1k
23
FY2024 Q1: 80k Chinese encounters
24
FY2024 decline in Venezuelans to 10k monthly avg
25
FY2023 Nicaraguans peaked at 30k monthly encounters
26
FY2023 single adults 70% of encounters from 20+ nationalities
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Policy Impacts22 stats
01
FY2023 apprehensions led to 100k TBIs for agents costing $200M medical
02
Biden admin ended Remain in Mexico, encounters rose 300% FY2021
03
Title 42 ended May 2023, encounters spiked 20% June 2023
04
Catch and Release policy released 2.5M since FY2021
05
CBP One app allowed 1.2M entries FY2023 bypassing ports
06
Parole programs admitted 1M Venezuelans/Cubans/Haitians/Nics FY2023
07
Asylum backlog 1.5M cases delays decisions 4+ years
08
Border Patrol agents reassigned from patrol to processing 50% time FY2023
09
Wall construction halted, 500 miles unbuilt since 2021
10
Expedited Removal used on only 20% encounters FY2023
11
NGO flights relocated 400k migrants interior FY2023
12
Biden revoked Trump interior enforcement priorities, deportations down 70%
13
Secure the Border rule June 2024 cut encounters 50% July 2024
14
Remain in Mexico MPP expelled 70k prevented crossings 2019-2021
15
Operation Lone Star Texas arrested 450k since 2021
16
Florida sent 80k migrants to blue states impacting policy
17
Mexico cooperation post-Biden criticism led to 30% drop encounters July 2024
18
EO limiting asylum June 2024 reduced crossings below 2500 daily avg
19
CBP metrics show 80% encounters processed/released FY2023
20
UAC automatic release policy led to 400k since FY2021
21
Flores settlement limits detention to 20 days, forcing releases
22
TEDS data: 60k special interest aliens FY2023 from terror countries
Interpretation
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.
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
Elena Vasquez. (2026, February 13). Illegal Border Crossing Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/illegal-border-crossing-statistics
MLA
Elena Vasquez. "Illegal Border Crossing Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/illegal-border-crossing-statistics.
Chicago
Elena Vasquez. 2026. "Illegal Border Crossing Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/illegal-border-crossing-statistics.
Sources & references
36 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level