Illegal immigration – a disaster by the numbers
According to the federal government’s own data, there have been nearly 11 million illegal border crossing encounters (2.675 million/year) between 2021 and 2024. By comparison, there were just over 3 million illegal border crossing encounters between 2017-2020 (750k/year).
In addition, border patrol agents have recorded an estimated 2 million “known gotaways” (defined as observed crossing into the US, but not apprehended) since 2021.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform estimates the current illegal immigrant population in the US at 16.8 million, costing US taxpayers an estimated $150 billion annually.
Chart courtesy of Federation for American Immigration Reform
During encounters in 2023 and 2024, predominantly at our southern border, agents seized nearly 22,000 firearms and 111 explosive devices. 84 illegal migrants were wearing body armor at the time of their encounter.
On a “typical day” in 2023, border patrol agents arrested 44 wanted fugitives attempting to cross our border, and seized over 2,300 lbs. of drugs, including 78 lbs. of deadly fentanyl – DAILY.
375 terrorist watch list apprehensions have taken place on our borders between 2021-2024. That represents a 3000% increase in the number of apprehensions of those on the terrorist watch list between 2017-2020. This level of activity represents an unacceptable threat that we are failing to address with the diligence it requires – I wrote about this previously.
Agents have arrested 69,777 non-citizens with criminal convictions attempting to enter the US in the past 4 years. By comparison, just 21,936 non-citizens with criminal convictions were intercepted and arrested at our borders between 2017-2020. This represents a staggering 144% increase in convicted criminals attempting to cross the border. Of course that’s only those who were intercepted.
Most troubling is the massive increase in border crossing attempts by those convicted of crimes of violence. In the past 4 years:
- 178 convicted murderers were arrested at our border, up 1518% from the 11 who tried to enter between 2017-2020.
- 4,565 people convicted of assault were arrested at our border, up 165% from the 1,723 who tried to enter between 2017-2020.
- 1,339 convicted sex offenders were arrested at our border, up 210% from the 431 who tried to enter between 2017-2020.
- 1,161 convicted weapon offenders were arrested at our border, up 195% from the 394 who tried to enter between 2017-2020.
- 7,846 convicted drug offenders were arrested at our border, up 165% from the 2,955 who tried to enter between 2017-2020.
Some may argue, this is a victory in the fact these convicted criminals were intercepted and arrested, but that argument belies the reality that these represent only those whose records were located during their encounter, and they represent only those who were encountered, not the millions who evaded encounters.
The argument weakens even further when looking at “Apprehension and Removals” data from Customs and Border Patrol. Records indicate that between 2021 and 2023, apprehensions (associated with the masses of people attempting to illegally cross the border) dramatically increased, while removals of those apprehended dramatically decreased.
2021 2022 2023
Apprehensions: 690,784 1,384,518 2,085,987
Removals: 1,071,075 1,103,961 579,084
This information is more troubling in light of the report this week indicating nearly 650,000 criminal illegal aliens were currently on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE’s) Non-Detained Docket (NDD).
To be clear, that does not mean all these criminals are free – in fact a significant percentage are likely in state and local custody. The problem is that due to various sanctuary city, county, and state policies, that number is literally unknown. That is especially problematic for ICE, as these state and local governments have placed firewalls prohibiting the sharing of information that ICE could use to properly track and ensure removal of when appropriate.
Federal border policy decisions, combined with progressive sanctuary policies at the state and local level in recent years have created an immigration and border security crisis which has left US citizens vulnerable.
The policy decisions were intentional, the results have been predictable, and the situation placed at the feet of the American public is abhorrent and inexcusable.