Immigration numbers in the United States have just presented a dramatic reduction, according to the latest statistics published by the Customs and Border Control (CBP) office for the month of January 2024.
According to CBP, its agents detained or had encounters with at least 242,000 migrants who attempted to enter illegally or requested asylum upon arriving at a border post throughout the month.
That is equivalent to a drop of close to 35 percent compared to the previous record, in December 2023, when more than 370,000 people were arrested or detained.
This is the lowest number recorded in at least 6 months.
In large part, and this is an interesting fact, The bulk of the drop was due to a reduction in the arrival of migrants from Colombia and Venezuela. In fact, almost 50 percent of the recorded decline is attributed to these human groups alone.
In December, the previous month counted, authorities detained at least 82,000 Colombians and Venezuelans, compared to just 24,000 last January.
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Some 8,000 Colombians were arrested in January, compared to 19,287 in December, a reduction of approximately 60 percent.
Looking at the specific figures for each group, In January, some 8,000 Colombians were arrested, compared to 19,287 in December (a reduction of approximately 60 percent), the lowest figure since July 2023.
In the case of Venezuelans, the figure went from 62,000 in December to 14,000 last month (or approximately 80 percent less).
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The statistics are good news for United States authorities, who have been receiving record numbers of migrants over the last year and are facing a crisis with deep political ramifications. Especially in the southern border that they share with Mexico and where more than 95 percent of all migrants have been entering.
Could the low numbers of illegal migrants heading to the United States be due to temporary relief?
The drop could have more to do with migration patterns than a change in dynamics
But in retrospect, the data could only be a temporary relief.
Over the last three years, In January, the lowest number of migrants detained at border posts was reported: about 210,000 in this same month of 2022 and 185,000 in 2021. In fact, the January 2024 figure remains the highest in at least a decade (or since reliable numbers are available).
If the months of fiscal year 2024, which began in October 2023, are taken into account, There are already more than 1,231,000 people arrested at the border trying to enter illegally or requesting asylum upon arrival. About 160,000 more people than reported last year and 350,000 compared to 2022.
If only Venezuelans and Colombians are considered, The figure for January 2024 is very similar to that recorded in the previous two years.
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The reasons for the drop in migrants heading to the United States
According to experts on immigration issues, the drop could have more to do with migration patterns than a change in dynamics. It is very likely, for example, that many people will refrain from starting their immigration journey in December since it is a month in which holidays such as Christmas and New Year are celebrated, dates that usually keep families together.
However, according to Doris Meissner of the Migration Policy Institute, there are other factors at play as well.
On the one hand, The controversy that exists in the United States points to a tightening of immigration policies. Since December, the United States Congress has been debating a new package of measures to strengthen controls and limit asylums. Among them, one that would close the border if a daily limit of more than 5,000 people is reached.
Although the measures have not been approved, the feeling is that migrants could encounter more difficulties and hence the high numbers in December – people trying to enter before the measures come into force – and the low numbers now in January.
At the same time, thanks to agreements reached between the government of Mexico and the United States, the authorities of that country have increased their own efforts to try to block the passage to migrants coming from the south.
It will be necessary to see, therefore, if the new January statistics are more of an “accident” that is in line with previous flows or there is something more fundamental that allows us to assess whether there is an evolution in the trend.
Irregular migration through Mexico increased by 77.2% in 2023
On the other hand, heIrregular migration through Mexico rose 77.2 percent in 2023, as revealed by statistics from the Mexican Government.
The Migration Policy Unit of the Ministry of the Interior (Segob) registered 782,176 “events of people in an irregular migratory situation in Mexico” last year, nearly 340,000 more than the 441,409 in 2022.
The largest increase occurred in irregular migration from Africa, which shot up almost 797 percent to 59,834 migrants detected, above the 6,672 in 2022, while that from Asia increased more than 342 percent to 45,877 people.
Meanwhile, irregular migration from South America rose nearly 117 percent to 345,941 people, displacing Central America as the main region of origin of undocumented migrants.
That of Central America rose 17.6 percent to 246,371 people, and that of the Caribbean advanced almost 55 percent to 80,861.
The main country of origin of irregular migrants was Venezuela, with 222,994, an increase of 131.81 percent compared to 2023. It is followed by Honduras (119,402), Guatemala (81,535), Ecuador (70,790) and Haiti (45,091).
SERGIO GÓMEZ MASERI
TIME CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON
On X (formerly Twitter): @sergom68
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