Venezuelan migrants are continuing to illegally cross U.S. borders in droves despite the Biden administration beginning deportation flights to Venezuela, according to internal Border Patrol data obtained exclusively by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Border Patrol recorded 33,247 nationwide encounters of illegal migrants from Venezuela between Oct. 1, 2023 and Nov. 2, according to the internal data. The number is higher than the encounters of Venezuelans every single month of the last four fiscal years, except for September 2023 and September 2022, according to federal data. (RELATED: Number Of Migrants That Got In After Crossing Border Illegally in Fiscal 2023 Surpasses Populations In 11 States)
The Biden administration announced Oct. 5 the beginning of deportation flights of illegal migrants back to Venezuela. The flights occur “several times” each week, Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens said in a tweet Thursday.
“Our federal government is sending out messages through their proxies to come to America and that you’re gonna be free, and they’re all coming through,” J.J. Carrell, who served as deputy patrol agent in charge for U.S. Border Patrol, told the DCNF of the deportation flights.
Internal Border Patrol data obtained exclusively by the Daily Caller News Foundation
There were 54,890 encounters in September 2023 and 33,754 in September 2022 nationwide, according to federal data.
In addition to the deportation flights, Venezuelans are given the option to come legally via humanitarian parole where they can fly to the U.S. and enter if they have a sponsor. Venezuelans are also permitted to use the CBP One phone application to enter the U.S. via land ports of entry along the southern border.
Some Venezuelans that are already in the U.S. are also afforded the opportunity to stay on a temporary basis. The Biden administration is giving immigrants from Venezuela who arrived in the U.S. before July 31 have temporary protections to remain in the country without fear of removal.
Nationwide encounters of illegal migrants surpassed 2 million in fiscal year 2023 and 2022, according to federal data.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) didn’t immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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