Breaking Records: Over 10,200 Border Patrol Encounters in a Single Day
The southern border of the United States continues to face an unprecedented surge in illegal immigration. In a shocking turn of events, a new milestone has been reached – the highest total for a single day ever recorded. Out of the staggering number, over 10,200 encounters were made by Border Patrol agents with illegal immigrants crossing between ports of entry.
Continued Worsening Crisis Despite Administration’s Efforts
This record-breaking day is just one among many that have been surpassed in recent months. In October, fiscal year 2023 already set a new record with 2.4 million migrant encounters, surpassing the previous year’s record. Even more alarming, the last month of fiscal year 2023, September, reached its own record for monthly totals with over 260,000 encounters. Although the numbers dropped slightly in October, it still marked the highest figure ever recorded for that month.
The Tucson Sector in Arizona has also made headlines by breaking records for weekly encounters. Last week alone, officials encountered more than 17,500 migrants in that sector.
Administration Appeals for Funding and Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Despite the efforts of the Biden administration, the crisis at the southern border has continued to worsen. The administration has labeled it a hemisphere-wide crisis and has urged Congress to provide additional funding and comprehensive immigration reform to address the “broken” system.
An emergency funding request of $14 billion has been submitted, which includes provisions for shelter, services, increased personnel, transportation, and resources for expedited removal. The administration emphasizes the importance of expanding “lawful pathways” while also imposing consequences for illegal entry.
However, the funding request has faced significant obstacles in Congress. Republicans have demanded stricter limits on asylum and a reduced use of humanitarian parole, which the administration has utilized to release tens of thousands of migrants into the U.S. each month. In response to this demand, some Republicans have suggested that a mass amnesty for illegal immigrants already in the U.S. could be considered.
This week, President Biden expressed his willingness to make “significant compromises” on border policy to secure a deal for emergency spending, which would also include funding for Israel and Ukraine. He emphasized the urgent need to fix the broken border system.
Fox News’ Bill Melugin and Griff Jenkins contributed to this report.