Migrant deportations increased in 2024 after immigration becomes top issue

In the last two months, the United States increased its deportations of migrants in the country illegally. The move marks an uptick in enforcement actions under the Biden administration months before the November election. Immigration emerged as a top concern for voters earlier this year.

According to recent figures released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), officials removed a total of 742,000 migrants from the U.S. since July 2023. This marks an increase from the 142,000 individuals deported in fiscal year 2023. Despite the notable rise in deportations, this number represents only a fraction of the more than 2.3 million migrant encounters reported at the southwest border over the same period.

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Since assuming office, President Biden oversaw the removal of over 1 million migrants, a response to persistent challenges posed by illegal border crossings. On average, approximately 2 million people crossed the border illegally each year since Biden took office.

In an effort to address the situation, the Biden administration recently took executive action aimed at ramping up deportation efforts. There have been 120 flights to 20 countries across South and Central America. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted its first deportation flight of Chinese nationals back to China earlier this month.

Since Biden’s executive order, arrests at the border declined. ICE detained 83,000 migrants last month, down from 118,000 in May and significantly lower than December’s peak of 250,000 arrests. The San Diego Border Patrol sector emerged as the busiest by number of arrests, reflecting a broader trend that saw the area become the primary hotspot for illegal crossings for the first time in two decades earlier this year.

However, the increased enforcement activities have not been without challenges. Reports indicate that holding facilities, particularly in San Diego, are straining at 150% capacity.

Capacity issues prompted the Biden administration to transfer hundreds of migrants by plane from California to Texas to alleviate overcrowding, according to the New York Post.