In May, over 3,500 Chinese nationals were encountered crossing the U.S. southern border illegally, along with hundreds of individuals from Jordan, Turkey, and Mauritania. The majority of these encounters took place in the San Diego Sector, which has become a key crossing point despite overall decreases in border crossings. While the Tucson Sector in Arizona had the most encounters, San Diego was a close second, with over 32,000 illegal crossings. This highlights the global nature of the U.S. migrant crisis, which is no longer limited to just the Western Hemisphere.
The influx of Jordanian nationals gained attention when two individuals from Jordan were arrested for attempting to breach a military base in Virginia. One of these individuals had crossed into the U.S. illegally in April and was released into the interior of the country. The number of Chinese nationals illegally crossing has seen a significant increase since the previous fiscal year, with over 24,200 encounters recorded so far in the current fiscal year. Overall, approximately 118,000 migrants were apprehended by Border Patrol in May, with over 6,300 classified as “special interest aliens” from countries of potential national security concern.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has acknowledged that some migrants crossing the border are attempting to take advantage of the U.S. asylum system. This has become a major political issue heading into the November presidential election, with the ongoing crisis at the border posing a challenge for the Biden administration. Mayorkas has called for reform from Congress, including a bipartisan Senate bill that aims to equip border authorities with more tools to address individuals who try to exploit the system.
The administration has emphasized the need for reform, pointing to the high number of removals or returns of illegal immigrants since May 2023. Mayorkas has expressed support for a bipartisan border security proposal that has not gained traction in the Senate, suggesting that it would provide additional resources to address those seeking to abuse the asylum system. Republicans have criticized the administration’s policies, particularly the rollback of Trump-era measures like wall construction and the Migrant Protection Protocols, and have passed their own legislation in the House to restrict asylum claims and resume border wall construction.
Overall, the situation at the U.S. southern border remains a contentious issue, with both Democrats and Republicans offering different approaches to address the ongoing crisis. The influx of migrants from countries around the world, including China, Jordan, Turkey, and Mauritania, highlights the complexity and global nature of the challenges faced by U.S. border authorities. As the Biden administration seeks to navigate the political and logistical hurdles of the border crisis, the issue is likely to remain a central focus leading up to the upcoming presidential election in November.
