A record high number of migrant encounters were reported at the U.S. border since the start of FY 2023, as thousands of people are crossing into the country each day, according to Customs and Border Protection sources.
As of Thursday, there have been 617,250 total migrant encounters at the border since Oct. 1, a new record for the months of October, November, and December. CBP sources tell Fox News there is an average of 6,858 encounters each day.
Of the 617, 250 total encounters, 186,573 migrants were expelled under the Title 42 public health order – leaving the majority of 430,677 migrants released into the United States.
Most of these encounters are happening in Texas, where the El Paso sector reported 159,186 encounters and the Del Rio sector had 137,836.
SUPREME COURT TEMPORARILY HALTS TERMINATION OF TITLE 42, WILL HEAR CASE IN FEBRUARY
EL PASO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 22: An aerial view of immigrants lining up next to the U.S.-Mexico border fence after spending the night outside on December 22, 2022 in El Paso, Texas. A spike in the number of migrants seeking asylum in the United States has challenged local, state and federal authorities. The numbers are expected to increase as the fate of the Title 42 authority to expel migrants remains in limbo pending a Supreme Court decision expected after Christmas.
(John Moore/Getty Images)
EL PASO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 22: Immigrants bundle up against the cold after spending the night camped alongside the U.S.-Mexico border fence on December 22, 2022 in El Paso, Texas. A spike in the number of migrants seeking asylum in the United States has challenged local, state and federal authorities. The numbers are expected to increase as the fate of the Title 42 authority to expel migrants remains in limbo pending a Supreme Court decision expected after Christmas.
(John Moore/Getty Images)
SUPREME COURT PRAISED FOR TITLE 42 BORDER SECURITY RULING: ‘HUGE VICTORY’
The more than a half-million people encountered at the border since October have outpaced FY 2022 when there were over 517,000 encounters by the end of December, and FY 21 when there were just over 216,000 in the same period. In FY 2020, there were only 458,058 encounters for the entire fiscal year.
The federal government has expelled more than 2.5 million migrants since March 2020 under its Title 42 authority. The Biden administration has sought to end the policy – which was enacted as a public health order during the pandemic – while Republican states have sued, arguing that doing so would lead to an overwhelming flood of illegal immigration and place undue strain on their state resources.
SUPREME COURT JUSTICES ISSUE SCATHING TITLE 42 DISSENT: ‘WE ARE A COURT OF LAW’
EL PASO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 22: Immigrants warm to a fire at dawn after spending the night outside next to the U.S.-Mexico border fence on December 22, 2022 in El Paso, Texas. A spike in the number of migrants seeking asylum in the United States has challenged local, state and federal authorities. The numbers are expected to increase as the fate of the Title 42 authority to expel migrants remains in limbo pending a Supreme Court decision expected after Christmas.
(John Moore/Getty Images)
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily halted the Biden administration’s effort to terminate Title 42, permitting the Trump-era policy to remain in place until the court hears the Republican-led challenge.
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Even with Title 42 in place, a record 2.3 million migrants were encountered at the border in fiscal year 2022, according to Customs and Border Protection.
Fox News’ Paul Best, Adam Shaw and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
