Number of Colombians entering the US illegally, second highest in history

The Migration of Colombians to the United States, especially across the southern border with Mexico, continues to be historically high and trending toward growth.

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According to the latest figures available from the Customs and Border Protection Office (CPB), in December of last year (third month of fiscal year 2024) at least 19,289 people were detained trying to enter illegally or to request asylum.

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The December's figure is the second highest recorded in the entire history of these measurements, only surpassed by the peak that was recorded in May 2022 when 19,862 people were detained.

In addition, This is the eighth consecutive month in which there has been an increase in arrests and has been since June of last year when a dramatic drop in migration was recorded.

That date, June, coincides with several announcements made by the United States aimed at Colombians in which it spoke of new legal alternatives to migrate, such as the family reunification program, the expansion of visas for temporary work and the opening of immigration offices. mobility where immigration procedures could be carried out.

However, after it was learned that The offices will not serve Colombians but citizens of other countriesthe arrest figures began to grow again until reaching this last peak that was recorded in December.

Colombians trying to enter the United States illegally is a “dramatic” matter

The increase in the flow of Colombians heading to the United States across the southern border has been dramatic in the last three years.

From about 10,000 arrests that were recorded throughout the 2021 fiscal period, this increased to more than 130,000 in 2022 and almost 168,000 in 2023.

So far in 2024 (fiscal year), authorities have already reported more than 49,000 encounters or arrests of Colombians. If this pace is maintained, the total figure for 2024 is on track to break records again.

Mexicans and Venezuelans surpass Colombians

The number of Colombians only represents 5 percent of the total arrests so far this fiscal year and pales in comparison to that of Mexicans (200,000 in these three months) or Venezuelans (150,000), the two largest groups in terms of to arrests.

However, there is alarm among the authorities because this is a relatively new phenomenon, which is expanding and which aggravates the crisis that already exists on the border where illegal immigration seems out of control and which has become the epicenter of the electoral campaign in the United States for this 2024.

SERGIO GÓMEZ MASERI
EL TIEMPO correspondent
Washington