Unprecedented Migrant Surge Under Biden: 7.3 Million Crossings Shatter Records and Ignite National Debate

Under the tenure of President Joe Biden, the United States has seen an unprecedented influx of migrants crossing its southwest border without official authorization. This phenomenon has resulted in nearly 7.3 million undocumented entries, a number that not only overshadows the populations of 36 individual U.S. states but also sets a new record in the history of U.S. border encounters. This comparison, drawn from an analysis by Fox News, is grounded in data provided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which alone documented over 961,537 encounters at the border in the current fiscal year, a period that extends from October to September.

This influx, if maintained, is projected to surpass the previous fiscal year’s record of approximately 2.5 million southwest border encounters, a total that itself eclipsed the population of New Mexico, one of the border states directly impacted by these crossings. Since President Biden assumed office in January 2021, CBP data reveals a staggering total of 7,298,486 undocumented border crossings.

To put these figures into a broader context, the volume of migrants entering the U.S. without authorization under the current administration is equivalent to or greater than the entire populations of states such as Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. When compared to the nation’s most populous states, this total represents about 18.7% of California’s population, 23.9% of Texas’, 32.3% of Florida’s, and 37.3% of New York’s, indicating a substantial demographic impact.

Moreover, this surge in undocumented immigration has led to a humanitarian crisis, exacerbating challenges in border management and sparking political controversy. Critics have attributed this surge to policy shifts under the Biden administration, particularly the reversal of several stringent border policies enacted by former President Donald Trump. They argue that such policies have acted as a magnet, drawing migrants with the promise of employment opportunities and government benefits, under the belief that they will face minimal consequences for illegal entry due to lenient enforcement practices.

Eric Ruark, the Director of Research for Numbers USA, a nonprofit advocating for immigration restrictions, has voiced concerns that this “unprecedented surge in illegal immigration” is not coincidental but the outcome of deliberate policy decisions by the Biden administration. He suggests that the administration’s approach has inadvertently facilitated the smuggling operations of Mexican cartels, by relaxing enforcement and broadening asylum criteria, thereby completing the chain of illegal migration.

The Department of Homeland Security has yet to comment on these assertions. However, the Biden administration has defended its immigration policies by highlighting the complex mix of “push” factors—such as violence and economic instability in migrants’ home countries—that drive people towards the U.S. Nonetheless, critics, including Ira Mehlman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), argue that the “pull” factors, such as the prospect of being allowed to stay in the U.S., play a more significant role.

In response to the crisis, President Biden has called for legislative action to address border security and immigration reform, endorsing proposals that would enhance border authorities’ capacity to manage migration flows more effectively. These proposals include measures to expedite the removal of migrants under certain conditions, limit asylum application periods, and increase resources for border security and immigration court systems. However, these initiatives have faced stiff opposition in Congress, where some lawmakers argue that the administration already possesses adequate authority to enforce existing immigration laws and secure the border.

In an anticipated move that marks a significant shift from the past three years of criticized immigration policies, President Joe Biden is preparing to propose a series of executive orders during his upcoming State of the Union address. This development is seen as an attempt to recalibrate the administration’s approach to managing the unprecedented surge in undocumented border crossings that have occurred under his watch.

This strategic pivot reflects a backpedaling on what critics have described as three years of feckless policy decisions that, they argue, have contributed to the current humanitarian crisis at the border. By proposing these executive orders, President Biden appears to be seeking new solutions to enhance border security, streamline the immigration process, and address the root causes of migration from Central and South America.

The details of the proposed executive orders are yet to be fully disclosed, but they are expected to encompass measures that will tighten border enforcement, provide clearer pathways for legal immigration, and potentially address the legal status of migrants already residing in the U.S. illegally. This approach signifies a notable shift in the administration’s stance, moving towards more pragmatic and enforceable immigration policies in response to the complex challenges of border management and migrant integration.

The anticipation of these executive orders has sparked a broad range of reactions, from cautious optimism among immigration advocates who have long called for comprehensive reform, to skepticism from critics who question the feasibility and potential impact of these measures. As President Biden prepares to outline his strategy in the State of the Union address, the nation watches closely, eager to see whether this pivot will herald a new phase in U.S. immigration policy that can effectively address one of the most pressing issues facing the country today.

The ongoing debate has culminated in the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas by House Republicans, who accuse him of failing to enforce federal immigration laws and thereby violating the public trust. This political standoff underscores the deep divisions over how to address the complex challenges of immigration and border security, even as the number of undocumented migrants entering the U.S. reaches historic levels.