ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION SURGE: The latest immigration figures show a surge of alien family units and unaccompanied minors from Central America continue to arrive here illegally every day.
- Recently released figures on Southwest border apprehensions and inadmissibles, or those denied admission at a port of entry, show the dire state of the crisis at our border.
- We have seen a record-shattering surge in the arrival of family units, with more than 161,000 family unit apprehensions and inadmissibles in fiscal year (FY) 2018.
- This historic surge was 42 percent higher than any previous year on record.
- In the last three months, family unit apprehensions made up the highest percentage of total apprehensions in history.
- Tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors continue to stream across our borders.
- Unaccompanied minor apprehensions and inadmissibles totaled 58,660 in FY 2018, an increase of nearly 10,000, or approximately 20 percent, compared to FY 2017.
TODAY’S DANGEROUS BORDER CRISIS: Catch-and-release loopholes that hinder the detention and removal of many illegal aliens have incentivized a shift in illegal immigration.
- Responding to catch-and-release loopholes, illegal immigration has shifted from primarily single adults from Mexico to family units and unaccompanied minors from Central America.
- 98 percent of aliens apprehended by Border Patrol in FY 2000 were from Mexico, but today more than half are from Central America.
- These loopholes drive more and more illegal immigration from populations that the Government cannot quickly return to their home country.
- Of the family unit aliens from non-contiguous countries who arrived in FY 2017, only around 1.4 percent have been repatriated as of June 30, 2018.
- Smugglers and traffickers exploit these loopholes to prey on families and children who make the life-threatening journey north to our border.
- More than two-thirds of those making the journey north become victims of violence along the way, according to a report by Doctors Without Borders.
- Nearly one-third of women are sexually assaulted along the journey according to that same report.
LOOPHOLES DRIVING THE PROBLEM: Congressional Democrats back the loopholes that created this crisis and have been unwilling to fix it.
- Democrats in Congress continue to support outrageous catch-and-release loopholes that drive the crisis at our border and even want to expand these loopholes.
- Every Senate Democrat has backed a proposed bill that would effectively grant amnesty to any illegal alien within 100 miles of the border if they are accompanied by a minor.
- The surge in family unit and unaccompanied minor immigration has taken up vital resources.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities are at 98 percent capacity.
- Shelters for unaccompanied alien minors are operating at 88 percent capacity.
- Yet, Democrats seem intent on obstructing efforts to close catch-and-release loopholes and fully fund border security.
