by The Chicago Times Staff
August 5, 2021
TEXAS – Nearly 1,000 unaccompanied migrant children were apprehended in a single day this week, as the numbers of migrants coming to the southern border continue to surge with no sign of slowing down despite the heat of the summer months.
The Department of Health and Human Services reported that 834 unaccompanied minors and teenagers were apprehended on Thursday, far exceeding the 30-day average of 512. It means that there are a total of 2,784 children in CBP custody and 14,523 in HHS custody.
The figures reflect a continuing surge at the southern border and indicate that the border crisis that has plagued the Biden administration is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon.
In June, over 188,000 migrants were encountered, with an increase in UACs and migrant family units. This compares to approximately 78,000 encounters when President Biden took office in January, and approximately 33,000 encounters in June 2020. The number of unaccompanied minors encountered increased by 8% in June, with 15,253 encounters compared to 14,137 in May.
Republicans have blamed the surge on the Biden administration’s rollback of key Trump-era policies, specifically its refusal to apply Title 42 to UACs, as well as the rollback of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), the end of border wall construction, and significantly reduced interior enforcement. They have warned not only about criminals entering the country, but also about the potential spread of COVID-19.
The Chicago Times 