Migrant encounters at the southern border hit a record high in April, according to new filings from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Fox News’ Bill Melugin reported.
The record-setting month comes as President Joe Biden looks to end Title 42, a Trump-era policy allowing Border Patrol to turn away migrants at the border due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“BREAKING: There were 234,088 migrants encountered at the Southern border in April, per a DHS court filing today. That’s the highest number in DHS history,” Melugin tweeted Monday afternoon. He added that “117,989 migrants were released into the U.S. in April” and “113,248 were removed, including 96,908 expelled via Title 42.”
BREAKING: There were 234,088 migrants encountered at the Southern border in April, per a DHS court filing today. That’s the highest number in DHS history.
117,989 migrants were released into the U.S. in April.
113,248 were removed, including 96,908 expelled via Title 42. @FoxNews— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) May 16, 2022
The April numbers follow a March report that nearly 210,000 illegal immigrants were caught during the month, the largest number for any one month during the Biden presidency.
“This means there have been 1,026,460 encounters in the first 6 months of FY’ 22, which began on 10/1,” Melugin tweeted in April. “In the first 6 months of record setting FY’21, there were only 570,826 encounters.”
Biden, upon the advice of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), has pushed to end Title 42 on May 23, but a federal judge put a temporary stop to the administration’s plans in late April after a lawsuit from Missouri, Louisiana, and Arizona, The Daily Wire reported.
“In a lawsuit originally filed by Missouri, Louisiana, and Arizona, our Office just obtained a temporary restraining order to keep Title 42 in place. This is a huge victory for border security, but the fight continues on,” Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said.
Last Friday, USA Today reported that a federal judge in Louisiana “declined to issue an immediate ruling” on whether Title 42 must remain in place or if the Biden administration can move forward in rescinding the policy.
U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays promised to issue a ruling before the May 23 date set by the CDC for lifting Title 42.
Experts have warned of a “tsunami” of illegal immigrants if the border policy is lifted, and officials have estimated the U.S. could see up to 18,000 encounters per day if Biden goes through with rescinding Title 42.
“Revoking Title 42 will create an unprecedented surge at the southern border and it will overwhelm law enforcement agencies and non-governmental organizations as well,” the Republicans who filed the lawsuit argue. “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, (DHS), estimates getting rid of Title 42 will result in as many as 18,000 migrants per day – which could mean 540,000 migrants in a single month.”
Ten congressional Democrats have also joined in opposition to Biden’s push to end Title 42. “Right now, we have a crisis on our southern border. Right now, this administration does not have a plan. I warned them about this months ago,” Rep. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) said, according to Fox News. “It’s going to be, to be honest, it’s going to be a crisis on top of a crisis.”