A newly released fact sheet uncovers a concerning trend in illegal immigration, with August numbers surpassing those of the previous month.
The Daily Wire reported on a fact sheet released by Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee showing a notable increase in illegal border crossings for August 2024. The document reveals that nationwide encounters totaled nearly 159,000, with more than 107,000 occurring at the Southwest border alone.
This represents a more than 3% increase from July's Southwest border numbers, indicating a persistent challenge in managing illegal immigration. The fact sheet also provides a broader perspective on the issue, comparing current figures to those of previous administrations and highlighting the scale of the problem faced by border enforcement agencies.
The fact sheet draws a stark contrast between the current administration's immigration numbers and those of its predecessor. Under the Biden-Harris administration, the total number of illegal border crossings has now reached more than 10.3 million.
This figure stands in sharp contrast to the 3.1 million encounters recorded during Fiscal Years 2017-2020 combined under the Trump administration. It's important to note that the current administration's total does not include an estimated two million known "gotaways" recorded since the start of Fiscal Year 2021.
The Republicans on the committee emphasized the consistency of high encounter numbers, stating that monthly encounters at ports of entry alone have not fallen below 90,000 since February 2023. This steady influx of illegal crossings underscores the ongoing nature of the border security challenge.
The fact sheet also sheds light on specific programs implemented by the current administration to address the immigration situation. Since January 2023, more than 1.3 million inadmissible aliens have been granted entry through what the Republicans term "illegal CBP One and Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan (CHNV) mass-parole programs."
These programs, created by President Biden and Vice President Harris, have been a subject of controversy. The CHNV parole program, in particular, has resulted in the mass parole of approximately 530,000 individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela at ports of entry since its inception.
The committee also highlighted a security concern, noting that 388 illegal aliens on the terrorist watchlist have been apprehended between ports of entry at the Southwest and northern borders since Fiscal Year 2021. This statistic underscores the potential national security implications of illegal border crossings.
The release of this fact sheet has reignited political discussions about border security and immigration policy. Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been designated as the administration's "border czar," has faced criticism for the surge in illegal crossings during her tenure.
In late July, Harris attempted to counter these criticisms by highlighting her past record on immigration enforcement. She pointed to her experience as California's attorney general, stating:
I walked underground tunnels between the United States and Mexico on that border with law enforcement officers. I went after international gangs, drug cartels, and human traffickers that came into our country illegally. I prosecuted them in case after case and I won.
However, critics have questioned the effectiveness of her approach, with organizations like America First Legal noting that as California Attorney General, Harris had interfered with the enforcement of federal immigration laws. They cited her defense of San Francisco's sanctuary-city ordinance and her opposition to California's participation in the federal Secure Communities program as examples of actions that hindered deportation efforts for criminal aliens.
The fact sheet released by the House Homeland Security Committee Republicans reveals a continued increase in illegal border crossings, with August 2024 numbers surpassing those of July. The document highlights the stark contrast between current immigration figures and those of the previous administration, with over 10.3 million encounters under the Biden-Harris administration compared to 3.1 million during the entire Trump administration. It also raises concerns about the effectiveness of current immigration programs and policies, reigniting political debates about border security and enforcement strategies.
