
After seeing a dramatic decrease in the number of border apprehensions and inadmissible entries in March, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported last month that the numbers for April were even lower.
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection saw a decrease in individuals apprehended along the Southwest border as well as a decrease in those found inadmissible at ports of entry on the Southwest border of 5 percent compared to last month and a 68 percent decrease over the same period last year,” CBP stated in its monthly report.
According to the latest data, CBP reported a total of just 15,780 apprehensions and inadmissible entries for April. In March, that number was at 16,600, and it was at 23,563 in February.
However, despite the significant decreases, CBP cautioned that it still “expects the seasonal uptick in apprehensions and inadmissibles in the coming summer months based on historic trends.”
The decreases are being seen in all categories of CBP data. For example, according to CBP, only 998 unaccompanied minors and 1,119 family units were apprehended in April.
When it came to inadmissible entries, there were just 140 unaccompanied minors and 763 family units.
Across the entire Southwest Sector, FY 2017 apprehensions of unaccompanied, when compared to the same time period in FY 2016, is down 10%. However, for family units, FY 2017 apprehensions were up 58% when compared to FY 2016.
CBP also categorizes apprehensions of unaccompanied minors and family units by countries of origin. Even with the decrease in apprehensions, more unaccompanied minors are coming to the United States from Guatemala. As for family units, the vast majority of these individuals are arriving from Central America and not Mexico.