The southern border of the United States is facing an unprecedented surge in terrorist concerns, with over 3,500 Chinese nationals and hundreds of individuals from other countries crossing illegally in May alone. This alarming statistic was revealed by sources within Customs and Border Protection (CBP) who spoke to Fox News. The vast majority (98%) of these illegal crossings took place in the San Diego Sector, which has become a major entry point for migrants despite an overall decrease in border crossings in recent months. While the Tucson Sector in Arizona recorded the highest number of encounters with over 33,000, San Diego closely followed with over 32,000.
The influx of non-Western Hemisphere nationals underscores the global nature of the U.S. migrant crisis. Over 770 Jordanians, 670 Turkish, and 500 Mauritanian nationals were apprehended illegally crossing in the San Diego sector in May, providing a glimpse into the diverse origins of migrants. The presence of Jordanian nationals gained particular attention last month when two individuals from Jordan were arrested for attempting to breach Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. One of these individuals had illegally entered the U.S. in April and was subsequently released into the interior of the country.
Since 2021, the number of Chinese nationals crossing illegally has escalated dramatically. There were 1,970 encounters in FY 2022 and over 24,000 in FY 2023, and so far this fiscal year, over 24,200 encounters have been recorded. According to Fox News sources, approximately 118,000 migrants crossed the U.S. illegally and were apprehended by Border Patrol in May. Of these, over 6,300 were classified as “special interest aliens” originating from countries with potential national security concerns.
The escalating border crisis looms as a significant issue for President Biden’s re-election campaign. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently stated that some migrants crossing the southern border “try to game” the U.S. asylum system. This hardening of rhetoric reflects the ongoing political significance of the border crisis ahead of the presidential election in November.
The Biden administration has called for congressional reform, including the bipartisan Senate bill, to address the crisis. It has also emphasized the removal or return of over 720,000 illegal immigrants since May 2023, surpassing the total number in any full fiscal year since 2011.
Mayorkas has expressed support for a bipartisan border security proposal that would provide additional tools to deal with individuals exploiting the system. However, this proposal has yet to gain traction in the Senate.
Republicans attribute the border crisis to the rollback of Trump-era policies such as wall construction, the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), and increased interior enforcement. They have introduced legislation in the House that would significantly limit asylum claims and restart border wall construction, among other measures. These proposals have not yet been taken up by the Senate.
