The U.S. Border Patrol took 851,000 people into custody after they tried to cross into the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal 2019, marking the highest number of arrests in 12 years.
The Washington Examiner, citing federal data, reported on the figure, saying those who were arrested didnt include the number of people who approached ports of entry to claim asylum and the northern border with Canada
This data will be officially released by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Department of Homeland Security in several weeks.
Customs and Border Patrol stated that 40,000 people were taken into custody in September, down from the peak of 132,000 in May 2019, according to the report.
“As of Aug. 31, another 263,000 people were encountered at ports by the Office of Field Operations, a component of CBP. Border Patrol agents are stationed on the land between ports of entry while field operations officers stay at ports. These people are not arrested but are simply denied entry,” the Examiner said.
Securing the southern border with Mexico was a signature campaign promise for President Donald Trump. He made a pledge to build a wall along the border.
World-Class Security System
Several weeks ago, during a visit to the border near San Diego, California, Trump called the new wall a “world-class security system” that will be virtually impenetrable.
Trump toured a section of the border wall in San Diegos Otay Mesa area and noted that the border in the area had nothing but a layer of sheet metal.
“It was like a sheet metal, and people would just knock it over like just routinely,” Trump said, according to The Associated Press. “When the wall is built, it will be virtually impossible to come over illegally, and then were able to take border control and put them at points of entry,” Trump said.
At the time, he praised Mexicos government for sending troops to the countrys northern and southern borders to stem the flow of migrants.
