CBP logged 2,475,669 migrant encounters at the southwest border in FY 2023, but the breakdown is where the story gets sharper. Single adult encounters accounted for 670,674 cases, while family unit encounters climbed to 510,032 and unaccompanied children rose 58% to 148,385. Put that alongside Title 8 and Title 42 removals, fentanyl and other drug seizures, and the scale of nationwide encounters, and you get a dataset that shows far more than border crossings alone.
Key Takeaways
- In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded 2,475,669 migrant encounters at the southwest border, including 1,414,130 apprehensions between ports of entry
- CBP reported 670,674 encounters of single adults at the southwest border in FY 2023, comprising 27% of total encounters
- Family unit encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border reached 510,032 in FY 2023, up 45% from FY 2022
- Texas DPS arrested 39,000 illegal aliens for 68,000 crimes since 2011
- ICE data shows 13,099 illegal aliens convicted of homicide in US since 2017
- 15,811 illegal aliens convicted of sexual assault per ICE FY 2017-2023
- FAIR estimates annual net cost of illegal immigration at $150.7 billion in 2023
- Illegal immigrant households cost taxpayers $8,776 per household annually per CIS 2023 data
- FAIR calculates $182 billion in total costs for services to illegal aliens and citizens in 2023
- ICE deported 142,580 illegal aliens in FY 2023
- ICE removals totaled 271,484 in FY 2022, highest since 2010
- 89% of FY 2023 ICE deportees were criminal aliens with convictions
- Illegal alien population estimated at 11 million in 2022 by DHS
- Pew Research estimates unauthorized immigrants at 11.0 million in 2022, stable from 2007 peak
- 66% of unauthorized immigrants lived in 20 major metro areas in 2022 per Pew
In FY 2023, CBP recorded 2.48 million southwest border migrant encounters, while removals and costs rose sharply.
Related reading
01 · Category
Border Encounters and Apprehensions26 stats
01
In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded 2,475,669 migrant encounters at the southwest border, including 1,414,130 apprehensions between ports of entry
02
CBP reported 670,674 encounters of single adults at the southwest border in FY 2023, comprising 27% of total encounters
03
Family unit encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border reached 510,032 in FY 2023, up 45% from FY 2022
04
Unaccompanied children encounters totaled 148,385 at the southwest border in FY 2023, a 58% increase from FY 2022
05
CBP expelled or removed 2.8 million migrants under Title 42 from March 2020 to May 2023 at the southwest border
06
In FY 2022, southwest border encounters hit a record 2,378,944, including over 700,000 from Mexico
07
Gotaways, or known got-aways, estimated at 600,000 in FY 2023 by CBP, evading apprehension
08
Encounters from non-Mexican nationalities surged to 1.1 million in FY 2023, 49% of total southwest border encounters
09
CBP's USBP apprehensions of OTMs (other than Mexicans) reached 1.6 million from FY 2021-2023
10
Southwest border USBP Title 8 apprehensions were 1,043,098 in FY 2023
11
In calendar year 2023, CBP recorded over 3 million nationwide encounters, with 2.5 million at southwest border
12
Northern border encounters rose to 189,383 in FY 2023, up 916% from FY 2020
13
CBP Office of Field Operations inadmissible encounters at ports totaled 1.1 million in FY 2023
14
Repeat encounters accounted for 27% of southwest border total in FY 2023, per CBP data
15
Venezuelans led non-Mexican encounters with 247,000 at southwest border in FY 2023
16
Colombians encountered 123,000 times at southwest border in FY 2023
17
Ecuadorians had 89,000 southwest border encounters in FY 2023
18
Haitians recorded 78,000 encounters at southwest border FY 2023
19
Nicaraguans at 72,000 southwest border encounters in FY 2023
20
Southwest border encounters from India reached 96,000 in FY 2023
21
Chinese nationals encountered 24,000 times at southwest border FY 2023
22
CBP seized 21,100 lbs of fentanyl at southwest border in FY 2023, linked to illegal crossings
23
Methamphetamine seizures at southwest border totaled 119,000 lbs in FY 2023 by CBP
24
Heroin seizures hit 31,000 lbs at southwest border FY 2023
25
Cocaine seizures at southwest border were 28,000 lbs in FY 2023
26
CBP marijuana seizures at southwest border reached 528,000 lbs FY 2023
Interpretation
Border Encounters and Apprehensions Interpretation
The sheer scale of these numbers—from millions of encounters and a shadow population of 'got-aways' to the tragic influx of families and unaccompanied children, all underscored by tons of seized narcotics—paints a picture of a border system not just strained but fundamentally overwhelmed, presenting a profound humanitarian, security, and logistical challenge that can no longer be dismissed as a simple political talking point.
02 · Category
Crime and Public Safety15 stats
01
Texas DPS arrested 39,000 illegal aliens for 68,000 crimes since 2011
02
ICE data shows 13,099 illegal aliens convicted of homicide in US since 2017
03
15,811 illegal aliens convicted of sexual assault per ICE FY 2017-2023
04
GAO reports 27% of federal inmates are illegal aliens in 2021
05
CIS analysis: Illegal immigrants 3.8x more likely to be convicted of homicide than natives 2013-2022
06
Texas: Illegal aliens arrested for 805 homicides 2013-2022 per DPS
07
ICE: 7,700 illegal aliens convicted of kidnapping since 2017
08
267,000+ illegal aliens with criminal convictions at large per ICE 2024
09
FBI data cited by CIS: Non-citizens 2.5x more likely for conviction than natives 2011-2016
10
NYC: 60% of suspects in felony assaults 2022 were migrants per NYPD
11
MS-13 gang: 10,000+ members in US, mostly illegal Salvadorans per FBI
12
Tren de Aragua Venezuelan gang active in 8 US states with 400 members per DHS 2024
13
ICE arrested 588 illegal aliens for child exploitation in FY 2023
14
425,000 illegal aliens on ICE's violent criminal docket as of 2024
15
Arizona: Illegal aliens 18% of state prisoners but 4% population per state data
Interpretation
Crime and Public Safety Interpretation
These numbers paint a grim portrait not of the peaceful family seeking a better life, but of a dangerous, embedded criminal class whose significant overrepresentation in violent crime statistics demands a sober and urgent policy response.
03 · Category
Economic Impacts20 stats
01
FAIR estimates annual net cost of illegal immigration at $150.7 billion in 2023
02
Illegal immigrant households cost taxpayers $8,776per household annually per CIS 2023 data
03
FAIR calculates $182 billion in total costs for services to illegal aliens and citizens in 2023
04
Unauthorized immigrants paid $35.1 billion in federal taxes in 2022 per IRS estimates cited by ITEP
05
CIS reports 63% of non-citizen households access welfare vs 35% US-born in 2022
06
Illegal immigration costs US education system $78 billion yearly per FAIR 2023
07
Medical costs for uncompensated care to illegal aliens $18.5 billion annually per FAIR
08
Unauthorized workers comprised 4.8% of US workforce in 2022, adding $1.6 trillion GDP per CBO
09
ITEP estimates undocumented immigrants contribute $96.7 billion in taxes yearly including state/local
10
FAIR justice/ law enforcement costs for illegal immigration $47 billion in 2023
11
CBO projects immigration will add $7 trillion to federal budget deficit over 2024-2034
12
Unauthorized immigrants remit $150 billion annually abroad per World Bank 2022
13
CIS finds 59% of illegal immigrant-headed households use at least one welfare program
14
FAIR welfare costs for illegal aliens $42 billion net annually after taxes in 2023
15
Undocumented pay 8% effective state/local tax rate, higher than top 1% at 7.2% per ITEP
16
Illegal immigration depresses wages for low-skill US workers by 5.1% per Harvard economist G. Borjas
17
CBO estimates recent immigration surge boosts GDP by 0.5% annually through 2034
18
FAIR general government services to illegal aliens cost $116.5 billion in 2023
19
Unauthorized immigrants in construction: 1.4 million workers, 13% of sector in 2022 per BLS via Pew
20
26% of US farming workers unauthorized in 2022 per Pew
Interpretation
Economic Impacts Interpretation
Weighed together, the numbers paint a portrait of an enormous fiscal and social ledger where undocumented immigrants are simultaneously a significant net taxpayer burden and a deeply embedded, productive economic force whose labor and taxes subsidize sectors we depend on while their costs are felt acutely in public budgets.
More related reading
04 · Category
Enforcement and Deportations20 stats
01
ICE deported 142,580 illegal aliens in FY 2023
02
ICE removals totaled 271,484 in FY 2022, highest since 2010
03
89% of FY 2023 ICE deportees were criminal aliens with convictions
04
ICE arrested 73,822 criminal illegal aliens in FY 2023
05
Over 435,000 illegal aliens on ICE's NTA docket as of FY 2023 end
06
ICE detained average 36,621 illegal aliens daily in FY 2023
07
170,595 criminal aliens removed by ICE FY 2019-2023 cumulative
08
ICE ERO interior arrests: 38,295 in FY 2023
09
1.4 million illegal aliens with criminal convictions at large per ICE 2023
10
CBP repatriations: 179,400 in FY 2023
11
Title 42 expulsions: 2.4 million from ports of entry FY 2020-2023 per CBP
12
ICE alternatives to detention monitored 258,000 illegal aliens monthly in FY 2023
13
59,000 fugitive aliens removed by ICE in FY 2023
14
ICE gang arrests: 1,100 MS-13 members in FY 2023
15
15,800 sex offenders among criminal aliens arrested by ICE FY 2023
16
HSI arrested 8,300 illegal alien criminals in FY 2023
17
ICE deported 20,000+ child sex predators since 2009 cumulative
18
78% of ICE interior removals were criminals in FY 2023
19
DOJ prosecuted 33,000+ illegal entry/reentry cases in FY 2023
20
EOIR immigration courts had 3 million pending cases in FY 2023
Interpretation
Enforcement and Deportations Interpretation
The numbers paint a stark picture of a system playing whack-a-mole on a continental scale, where record deportations of dangerous criminals exist alongside a backlog of millions and a staggering population of convicted fugitives still at large.
05 · Category
Population and Demographics22 stats
01
Illegal alien population estimated at 11 million in 2022 by DHS
02
Pew Research estimates unauthorized immigrants at 11.0 million in 2022, stable from 2007 peak
03
66% of unauthorized immigrants lived in 20 major metro areas in 2022 per Pew
04
Mexican unauthorized immigrants numbered 4.0 million in 2022, 37% of total per Pew
05
Unauthorized from Central America at 1.7 million in 2022, 15% of total per Pew
06
South American unauthorized immigrants totaled 1.0 million in 2022 per Pew Research
07
45% of unauthorized immigrants have lived in US 10+ years as of 2022 per Pew
08
MPI estimates unauthorized population at 11.3 million in 2021
09
4.6 million unauthorized immigrant households used at least one welfare program in 2022 per CIS
10
Unauthorized immigrants comprised 5.2% of US population in 2022 per DHS
11
8.3 million unauthorized immigrants in US labor force in 2022 per Pew
12
5 million US-born children live with unauthorized immigrant parent per MPI 2019 data
13
Unauthorized immigrants accounted for 22% of US foreign-born population in 2022 per Pew
14
California hosted 1.85 million unauthorized immigrants in 2022 per Pew
15
Texas had 1.6 million unauthorized immigrants in 2022 per Pew
16
Florida unauthorized population at 1.2 million in 2022 per Pew
17
New York state had 650,000 unauthorized immigrants in 2022 per Pew
18
New Jersey unauthorized at 475,000 in 2022 per Pew
19
77% of unauthorized immigrants age 25+ had high school diploma or less in 2022 per Pew
20
Only 7% of unauthorized immigrants had bachelor's degree in 2022 per Pew
21
FAIR estimates 15.5 million illegal aliens in US as of 2023
22
DHS reports 1.5 million unauthorized immigrants overstayed visas in FY 2022
Interpretation
Population and Demographics Interpretation
While the exact headcount is hotly debated, the static core data paints a picture of a deeply rooted, largely working-class population that has become a structural, if unofficial, part of the American demographic and economic landscape.
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
Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Illegal Immigration Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/illegal-immigration-statistics
MLA
Marie Larsen. "Illegal Immigration Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/illegal-immigration-statistics.
Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "Illegal Immigration Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/illegal-immigration-statistics.
Sources & references
17 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level