Border apprehensions increase by 500,000 from 2018 to 2019

Oct. 29 (UPI) -- The number of migrant apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border increased by nearly 500,000 in 2019 compared to 2018, according to data released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Tuesday

U.S. Border Patrol apprehended 851,508 migrants in fiscal year 2019, more than double the 396,579 detained in 2018, the report stated.

CBP apprehended 473,682 migrant families in fiscal year 2019, the highest number on record and 342 percent higher than the previous year, acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan announced. Additionally, 76,020 unaccompanied children were apprehended at the border, up from 50,036 in 2018.

Morgan noted that the CBP had nearly 20,000 people in custody on a single day in May, five times its capacity.

"These are numbers that no immigration system in the world can handle, not even in this country and each month during the fiscal year, the numbers increased," Morgan said.

Additionally, 126,001 migrants were deemed inadmissible, including 53,430 families and 4,614 unaccompanied children.

Morgan also stated the CBP seized 750,000 pounds of drugs in 2019 and $75 million in illicit currency, 1,700 inbound weapons and 1,000 outbound weapons all increases over the previous year.