Over 175,000 people came through the southern border in June, according to newly published U.S. Customs and Border Protection data and preliminary data first published by The Center Square.
The official CBP data published on Tuesday isn't as straightforward as it normally is, possibly due to a recent shakeup at CBP with outgoing chiefs leaving June 30. A press release issued on Tuesday doesn't include data typically published every month.
The press release states apprehensions at the southwest border totaled 144,607 in June, including CBP One App appointments. It also states 99,545 illegal foreign nationals were encountered between ports of entry at the Southwest border last month. It excludes Office of Field Operations apprehension data and demographics of those coming through.
In order to obtain this data, it has to be searched for on a separate page on the CBP website. OFO apprehensions last month, for example, were 110,958. That's more than double June 2022 data, which was 54,496. It's also nearly four times greater than what it was in June 2021, with 28,927, and about six times greater than it was in June 2020 at 19,048.
Despite some officials and media pundits claiming the majority of illegal foreign nationals coming through the southern border are family units, CBP data show the majority are single adults. Fiscal year to date, nearly 1.2 million were single adults; 494,797 were individuals in family units; 98,659 were unaccompanied single minors; 2,084 were unaccompanied minors.
Every month, officially reported CBP data is higher than the preliminary data first reported by The Center Square. This is because CBP data includes OFO data and preliminary data only includes Border Patrol and gotaway data. CBP doesn't publish gotaway data. The Center Square exclusively receives this information from a Border Patrol agent who provides it on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. "Gotaways" is the official CBP term that refers to those who illegally enter between ports of entry, don't return to Mexico, and actively avoid getting caught.
CBP's official total of 144,607 apprehensions last month is slightly higher than the preliminary data The Center Square first published of at least 102,641 apprehensions and at least 32,840 gotaways.
