FAIR Analysis: 4.9 Million Illegal Aliens Have Crossed our Borders Since President Biden Took Office

August 16, 2022, Washington, D.C.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform issued the following statement, as well as a deeper dive into the growing border crisis, based on data quietly released yesterday by the Biden administration:

Earlier this month, President Biden took credit for the July inflation rate being "only" 8.5 percent. Now that July border numbers are finally public, the White House may take credit for the fact that "only" 199,976 illegal aliens crossed our border, down from 207,416 in June. A minor drop in border encounters is not encouraging. Traditionally, numbers drop in the hottest summer months, and last month's figures actually represent a 325 percent increase over the average number of July apprehensions under the Trump administration. More significantly, July numbers bring the total of illegal aliens crossing our borders since President Biden took office to 4.9 million, including some 900,000 "gotaways" who eluded apprehension and have since disappeared into American communities.

"Roughly the equivalent of the entire population of Ireland has illegally entered the United States in the 18 months President Biden has been in office, with many being released into American communities. In that time, the Biden administration has blamed an unprecedented surge of illegal immigration on all sorts of external factors, except their own sabotage of our nation's immigration laws. The endless flow of illegal aliens and the incursion of lethal narcotics pouring across our border will not end until this administration demonstrates a willingness to enforce our laws," said Dan Stein, president of FAIR.

FAIR Border Snapshot for July 2022

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  • Since President Biden took office, nearly 4.9 million illegal aliens have crossed our borders.
    • This includes the 3.9 million nationwide total reported by CBP – which includes a whopping 3.4 million at our Southwest border – as well as approximately 900,000 gotaways who have entered the country undetected per agency sources.
  • CBP had 199,976 encounters at the Southwest border in July 2022, including 134,362 single adults, 51,822 family units, and 13,299 unaccompanied minors.
    • This is a 325 percent increase from the average number of July apprehensions under President Trump.

    • CBP has encountered more illegal aliens in just 10 months of FY 2022 than in the entirety of FY 2021.

    • July was the 17th straight month with more than 150,000 encounters.

  • CBP reports that 10 individuals on the FBI's terror watchlist were apprehended between ports of entry at the Southwest border in July, bringing the total for the current fiscal year to 66.

  • The Biden administration continues its crusade to end the Title 42 public health authority, despite extending other COVID-related national emergencies.

    • In July, CBP expelled only 37 percent of illegal aliens using Title 42, a 7 percent drop compared to last month.

  • 2,071 pounds of fentanyl and 12,989 pounds of methamphetamine were seized at the southern border in July, with much more getting through because Border Patrol agents are busy processing illegal aliens.

  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The amount of fentanyl seized in July is equivalent to 469 million lethal doses.