The number of Colombians detained trying to enter the United States illegally or seeking asylum continues to grow. That, at least, is what emerges from the latest statistics presented by the United States Customs and Border Protection Service (CBP) corresponding to last November.
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According to the figures, During this period – the second month of fiscal year 2024, which in the United States begins in October – 15,566 nationals were detained trying to enter through a border post. Of them, 15,021 on the southern border with Mexico.
The number is higher than the one presented in October – the first month of the fiscal year – when 14,295 Colombians were arrested.
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If this trend continues – some 15,000 Colombians arrested monthly on average -, The exodus of nationals to the United States would be on track to break a new record in 2024.
According to official statistics, in fiscal year 2023 – which ended on September 30 – the authorities reported having detained just over 170,000 Colombians, which in itself was a historical record and represented an increase of 30 percent compared to with the year 2022.
And in 2024, according to projections, that number could exceed 180,000.
To put this dramatic increase in Colombians trying to enter the United States into context, around 10,000 people were detained in all of 2021. That is to say, In just one month of the 2024 fiscal year – already underway – there were more arrests than in the entire fiscal period, which, it should be noted, was the highest figure recorded up to that point..
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If this trend continues, by the end of this year the number of these last three could reach more than half a million people detained.
The increase in the arrest of compatriots coincides with a historic exodus to the United States led by citizens of the region that is also breaking records.
Last year more than 3,200,000 people were arrested and 617,000 have already been arrested between October and November of this fiscal year of 2024.
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In fact, Colombians have been -by far- the group that has grown the most in terms of arrests in the last 24 monthswith a jump of 1,700 percent compared to previous years.
In general terms, Colombians were the sixth group with the most migrants detained trying to enter the United States throughout fiscal year 2023.
The table is headed by Mexicans (735,000), Venezuelans (330,000), Guatemalans (221,000), Hondurans (216,000) and Cubans (200,000).
The figures are surprising if you take into account the efforts that President Joe Biden's administration has been making to stem the flow and offer legal alternatives for migrants.
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And it is dominating the political debate in the United States, where Republicans talk about a crisis and have stopped aid to Ukraine until strong measures are approved to control the southern border.
The issue, without a doubt, will also be central in the campaign ahead of the presidential and legislative elections in November of this year.
A 'multifaceted' phenomenon
TIEMPO interviewed Diego Chávez, an expert on migration issues at the Migration Policy Institute, who is also of Colombian origin.
According to Chávez, the causes of the increase in Colombians bound for the United States are multifaceted and could be present again in the course of this and other future years.
What explains the enormous migratory flow of Colombians to the US that broke a record in 2023?
The increase in Colombian migration to the United States is multifaceted. Comparatively, the migratory pattern of Colombians and Venezuelans shows similarities, suggesting a possible 'carryover effect' where Colombian families could be replicating the migratory routes of the Venezuelan population. Expulsion factors such as violence and lack of opportunities in Colombia, along with the attractions of stability and security in the United States, are relevant.
Furthermore, Venezuelan migration has been ongoing for several years in Colombia, indicating a possible reconfiguration of the family structure with the union of Colombians and Venezuelans, affecting migration statistics.
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Immigration records, which are often based on the head of the family, may not reflect the complexity of blended families, contributing to a distorted perception. A third factor is the pandemic and subsequent lack of opportunity, prompting middle-class families, many with family connections in the United States, to emigrate. Furthermore, the Darién jungle symbolizes irregular migration, and towns like Necoclí have become centers of local economies that facilitate human mobility.
Finally, the decline in resources and political will to integrate migrants, and the isolation of the migration agenda from broader national objectives, may be encouraging both migrants and receiving communities to consider migration as a viable option.
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Can we expect equal or higher numbers in 2024?
It is plausible, although with certain reservations. The current era is characterized by unprecedented human mobility, with millions of people in transit throughout the hemisphere.
In Colombia, the increase in the migrant population has been notable, and the departure of Colombians could be influenced by reception policies and the benefits perceived by the receiving communities. If the sense of institutional paralysis persists, migration will likely continue.
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However, there are ongoing efforts to regularize the migrant population, which could deter migration, particularly in mixed families. Economic factors such as high interest rates, inflation and loss of confidence in the private sector will also play a role.
The reactivation of economic sectors by the Government and the adoption of pragmatic measures and moderation of speech could mitigate some of these migratory flows, although the latter should not be taken as a direct quote.
SERGIO GÓMEZ MASERI
EL TIEMPO correspondent
Washington
On Twitter (X) @sergom68
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