Illegal border crossings in September historically low

By Bethany Blankley
The Center Square

Illegal border crossings in September were historically low, representing a 92.4% drop from a record high reported in September 2023.

Last month, 26,002 illegal border crossers were reported nationwide compared to a record high of 341,392 reported in September 2023, according to newly released U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.

Last month’s numbers were a significant drop from the 144,666 reported last year and from 272,338 reported in September 2022.

Fewer than half, 11,647, were reported at the southwest border last month, an 89% drop from the 101,790 reported last September.

Southwest border illegal entries in September 2022 and 2023 dwarfed this year’s, totaling 227,547 and 269,735, respectively.

At the northern border, 4,436 were reported last month, down from 17,127 last September and a record 18,852 in September 2023, according to the data.

Overall, September numbers were a slight increase from a record low reported in July of 24,589, according to the data. Numbers began to drop in February in President Donald Trump’s first full month in office. Illegal border crosser totals have remained under 30,000 each month nationwide since February.

The Trump administration is also reporting CBP apprehension data in new categories: “at large” or “at entry.”

“At large,” refers to a foreign national who illegally entered the U.S. and reached their destination farther into the interior of the U.S. They include Border Patrol agents apprehending gotaways, those who illegally entered and evaded capture and didn’t file immigration claims. More than two million gotaways were reported under the Biden administration, The Center Square exclusively reported.

This category also includes foreign nationals who were legally admitted and encountered by CBP or Border Patrol agents after they overstayed their visa or violated the terms of their admittance. It includes those illegally living in the U.S. for any length of time, including for decades.

“At entry,” refers to foreign nationals who illegally entered the U.S. without admission (gotaways) and didn’t reach their intended destination “regardless of the amount of time since entry,” CBP explains.

According to this breakdown, 10,203 apprehensions were made last month nationwide, including 2,902 “at large” and 7,301 “at entry.”

At the southwest border, 8,386 were apprehended last month; 1,260 “at large” and 7,126 “at entry.”

At the northern border, 593 were apprehended last month. The overwhelming majority, 521, were “at large;” 72 were “at entry,” according to the data.

By CBP sector, the greatest number of apprehensions were reported by Border Patrol agents in the Tucson Sector of Arizona. The Rio Grande Valley and El Paso sectors in Texas reported the next greatest number of apprehensions last month, according to the data, as of Oct. 15.

CBP OFO officers at the Laredo Port of Entry continued to apprehend the greatest number of illegal border crossers last month, followed by the San Diego and El Paso OFO sectors.

The majority apprehended, including by Border Patrol and CBP officers – at ports of entry and between them – and at both the northern and southwest borders – are single adults.

This has been the case every month and every year, with single adults coming from all over the world, followed by those from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, according to the data. Individuals claiming to be in a family unit comprise the second largest group of illegal border crossers.