The ongoing crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border has reached a new milestone now that the month of September is over, which marks the end of fiscal year 2021. The Washington Post reports they have seen the yet-to-be-released apprehension numbers for all fiscal year 2021 and Border Patrol arrested more people during that period than in other recorded years.
The Post reports Border Patrol detained more than 1.7 million people attempting to illegally enter the U.S. through the southern border from October 2020 to September 2021. Illegal entries along the southern border steadily increased in the last few months of Donald Trump's presidency but remained below 100,000. In February, the first full month of President Joe Biden being in office, there were 101,099 apprehensions. Each month since, the number continued to climb during the hottest months of the year, with July and August seeing more than 200,000 apprehensions each.
The Biden administration attempted to spin the growing numbers by first claiming it was a "seasonal" influx the country sees every year, but the summer's numbers debunked their claim. The latest data doesn't take into account the high number of illegal immigrants who are known to have entered the U.S. but were able to avoid apprehension, a problem worsened by Border Patrol's manpower being strained by the large number of people who willingly turned themselves in.
TX DPS released a video from last week showing state troopers chasing a vehicle smuggling illegal immigrants in the Rio Grande Valley. The driver crashed and everyone bailed out.
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) October 18, 2021
"DPS aircraft followed the suspect and directed [Texas Highway Patrol] to effect the arrest." pic.twitter.com/8QPBdboOup
In addition to high arrest numbers, Customs and Border Protection has reported a record high of seizing the deadly drug fentanyl, over 10,000 pounds. It only takes two milligrams of fentanyl to be lethal. The previous fiscal year saw only 4,000 pounds of fentanyl seized.
Mexican drug cartels have largely switched to making and smuggling fentanyl into the U.S. since it is not constrained by a growing season, it is easier to transport, and it is more powerful than other illegal drugs.
With the historic high numbers on almost every front at the southern border, Chris Magnus, who is the nominee to lead CBP, refused to call the situation at the border a "crisis" when he was pressed by Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) during a confirmation hearing on Tuesday.