The number of illegal aliens apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in January was down compared to recent months, but higher than any January in the past five years.
A total of 31,575 people attempted to enter the U.S. through the southern border, according to CBP statistics released Monday. The past three months since the fiscal year started on Oct. 1 have seen between 43,000 and 48,000 people per month.
While winter months typically see a reduction of apprehensions due to the weather, January’s numbers remained elevated compared to recent years when those numbers were between 21,000 and 29,000. Last January, 23,758 people were documented as trying to cross the border.
Approximately 4,421 unaccompanied minors were taken into custody in January. That number dropped from the 6,900 to 7,400 minors who were picked up each month from October to December. It’s the highest number in the past five Januaries, which ranged from 1,600 to 3,800.
Customs and Border Protection documented 9,304 family units that attempted to enter the U.S., down from 16,139 in December. The Department of Homeland Security sub-organization reported units from Central America, Haitian nationals migrating from Brazil, and Cuban nationals due to former President Barack Obama’s rescinding the wet-foot-dry-foot policy with Cuba shortly before leaving office last month.
President Trump took executive action on immigration during his first week in office, calling for a secure border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as the enforcement of all immigration policies as outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act.
