More than 189,000 aliens arrived at southern border in February: CBP

House Republicans seized on the report, contending that the figures marked up an uptick in illegal crossings both over the prior February and over January 2024.

By Ben Whedon

Published: March 22, 2024 3:46pm

U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Friday confirmed that law enforcement had recorded 189,922 border encounters along the Mexican frontier in February.

Of those, 140,644 encounters took place between ports of entry. CBP also highlighted 434 recues conducted by the Border Patrol in the same month.

"Despite the challenges we are facing along the southwest border, as well as the positive trends of increasing levels of trade and travel, CBP continues to surge enforcement to stop dangerous drugs from entering the country; our agents and officers interdicted 294% more methamphetamine, 164% more heroin, and 140% more cocaine in February than January," Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner Troy Miller. "It is essential that we provide our personnel with the resources they need to continue to expand this critical work."

House Republicans seized on the report, contending that the figures marked up an uptick in illegal crossings both over the prior February and over January 2024. House Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green, in a press release, noted that the 189,922 figure was 21% higher from the February 2023 data and a 7% increase from January 2024. CBP reported 176,205 border encounters along the southwest land border in January 2024.

"As expected, and even admitted by this administration, the January drop in border crossings was seasonal—even though that 'drop' still left us with a historic January total," Green said. "Despite Secretary Mayorkas finally admitting that there is a border crisis after three years of lying to Congress and the American people, he continues to incentivize unlawful entry into the country with his mass catch-and-release and mass-parole programs."

"According to Border Patrol leadership, from chief patrol agents at the Rio Grande Valley Sector to the San Diego Sector, this incentive structure is perpetuating the crisis," he continued. "Unless this administration reverses course, the country will continue to face the devastating consequences of Secretary Mayorkas' self-inflicted, unprecedented crisis—for which he has now been impeached."

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.