CNN host Brianna Keilar called the current border crisis “staggering,” as Border Patrol prepares for a record-breaking influx of migrants entering the U.S.-Mexico border in the upcoming weeks.
“U.S. officials are scrambling to prepare for a record-breaking surge of migrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border this spring. In a CNN exclusive interview, the chief of Border Patrol said he is bracing for a staggering 8,000 apprehensions a day,” Keilar said. “That is a huge number.”
CNN reporter Priscilla Alvarez said the influx is expected to reach new highs in the next 30-45 days since migrant surges tend to occur in warmer months. She also said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is debating whether a Trump-era policy, Title 42, will remain in effect. The policy prohibits non-citizens from entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico regardless of their point of origin in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Alvarez said Border Patrol is already at “overcapacity” after apprehending approximately 16,000 migrants this week. Migrant apprehension numbers have nearly doubled since President Joe Biden assumed office in January 2021. (RELATED: ‘It Is A Humanitarian Crisis’: CNN’s John Avlon Says Biden ‘Can’t Afford To Ignore’ Border Problem)
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) noted that Title 42 expulsions led to 111, 437 migrants being apprehended who had not attempted to cross previously.
Border Patrol agents encountered a total of 164,973 migrants, 126,151 being single adults, along the Southwest border in February, a 7% increase from January, according to CBP. The average number of unaccompanied children stood at 520 per day in February, a 37% increase from the previous month.