Migrant encounters hit record with Title 42 end as Border Patrol authorizes releases

Record numbers of illegal migrants are coming to the U.S. Border with the expiration of Title 42 at midnight as Border Patrol agents are instructed to start releasing migrants at overcrowded facilities. 

More than 10,000 people have been caught illegally crossing the border every day over the past week, crowding Border Patrol processing centers beyond capacity, according to multiple reports. In December 2022, agents encountered the most migrants ever in a month, with an average of approximately 8,400 encounters a day.

Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz issued a memo Wednesday authorizing agents to release migrants without court dates when facilities are at 125% capacity, the average wait time exceeds 60 hours in custody or if 7,000 migrants are brought into custody in one day. Over the past few days, more than 25,000 migrants have been held at Customs and Border Protection facilities, far beyond capacity.

Border Patrol union President Brandon Judd said migrants are already being released without a notice to appear in court and make an asylum claim. They are instead being told to report to an immigration office at a later date, Reuters reported.

The parole process was typically limited to "urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons."

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said at a White House press conference Thursday that the "vast majority" of migrants will be in "expedited removal."

"When we encounter a volume of individuals for which we need to address in a different way, we do so. If those individuals do not honor their commitment to surrender to Immigration and Customs Enforcement proceedings, they are subject of our apprehension efforts," Mayorkas said.  

Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.