At least 1.2 million people have been apprehended or reported evading capture at the southern border in the first five months of this year, according to data obtained and analyzed by The Center Square.
The estimate is based on official apprehension data reported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection as well as gotaway data. A Border Patrol agent provides this data exclusively to The Center Square on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. Gotaways are those who illegally enter the U.S. and intentionally seek to evade capture. Border Patrol agents report those who have illegally entered and evaded capture based on several factors. CBP doesn’t publicly report gotaway data.
Gotaways are averaging roughly 60,000 per month, according to data analyzed by The Center Square. However, these numbers are believed to be higher for several reasons, including the fact that far fewer agents are out in the field and aren’t able to identify the tracks of those who’ve gotten away. Federal, state and local law enforcement officers have no idea who or where they are, or how many of them are known, suspected terrorists or violent gang members and criminals, those in law enforcement tell The Center Square.
Combined, the monthly totals are greater than the individual populations of eight U.S. states, two states more than last month when illegal border crossers in 2023 totaled more than the populations of six states.
At least 240,256 foreign nationals were apprehended or reported evading capture after illegally entering the southwest border in May, according to preliminary data obtained by The Center Square. The preliminary data excludes Office of Field Operations data and only includes Border Patrol data. The total increases after CBP publishes its official data because it includes OFO data.
