The number of migrants crossing the southern border with Mexico in June fell, but the number of cocaine seizures increased, according to the latest data from US Customs and Border Protection.
More than 153,000 migrants crossed the southern border with Mexico in June, bringing the total number of “encounters” with the Border Patrol to more than 2 million for the current fiscal year, the data show.
The number represents a 14% decrease from May, when more than 207,000 migrants crossed the border, but the number of people crossing the border multiple times increased.
In June, 26 percent of all “encounters” with Border Patrol agents involved those who had at least “one prior encounter in the previous 12 months,” the figures show.
The average re-encounter rate from 2014 to 2019 was 15 percent, CBP statistics show.
Although the number of migrants is down, CBP officials report a 62 percent increase in seizures of cocaine, even as seizures of other drugs, such as methamphetamines, heroin and fentanyl, are down.
More than 153,000 migrants crossed the border into Mexico in June. AFP via Getty Images Repeat border crossers have increased.
In May, more than two-thirds of all encounters, 68%, were single adults. The 140,197 meetings represent a 16% decrease compared to May.
While the number of unaccompanied adults crossing the border declined, encounters of unaccompanied minors increased 4 percent with 15,271 encounters in June compared to 14,678 in May, according to CBP statistics.
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