The final period of the Donald Trump administration has seen a reactivation of migratory flows on the border with Mexico, as last October and November alone more than 140,000 migrants will be detained in their attempt to enter the United States. , a figure that has not been recorded for more than a decade.
According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), during October and November 2020, the crossing of 140,591 migrants will be thwarted, figure 60 per cent greater to 87,782 detainees in the same period in 2019, a flow that, according to the CBP report, has not been recorded since 2014.
Of the more than 140,000 people who tried to cross the border during this period, 82,979 were Mexicans; of these, 76 thousand 424 were single adults, 2 thousand 335 traveled in family units and 4 thousand 220 were unaccompanied minors.
In fact, just for last month the figures are even higher compared to November 2019. At that time, 44 thousand 50 people were arrested with the intention of entering their US, while in November this year the figure increased to 116 thousand 935 migrant prisoners, which represents an increase of 165 percent in the number of unauthorized border crossings.
At this point highlights the border sector Del Rio, Texas, where the number of migrants detained rose from 3,324 in November 2019 to 13,372 in November 2020, which equates to a rise of 302 percent.
This border sector is followed by Big Bend (also in Texas), where in November 2019 927 undocumented migrants were arrested, a figure that increased 213 percent for November this year, when 2,902 people were arrested who they tried to cross the border illegally.
WITHOUT FEAR OF COVID
CBP reports that neither covid-19 nor border closures prevented more than 397,000 migrants from attempting to cross the border between Mexico and the United States since the pandemic began.
Between March and November, CBP registered the arrest by the Border Patrol of 397 thousand 60 migrants. Of these, 345 thousand 237 were single adults, 26 thousand 283 were migrants who integrated family units and 25 thousand 540 unaccompanied minors.
In total, the figures reveal that throughout 2020 detained at the various border crossings of the United States to 32 thousand 106 unaccompanied minors, 41 thousand 669 people in family units (ie, a child under 18 with a father or legal guardian) detained, or with another family member), and 396,557 unaccompanied adults, representing a total of 470,332 migrants detained.
Due to the pandemic, since March 21, the United States government has determined a partial closure of its borders to prevent the entry of people who could potentially pose a risk to the health of its citizens, a measure that has been extended until March 21. next December, which only allows the entry of citizens or people with permanent residence and prohibits the entry of border visas and tourists.
Given the increase in migrants who have tried to reach the neighboring country in recent months, the Undersecretary for Human Rights, Population and Migration of the Ministry of the Interior, Alejandro Encinas, stated during the meeting Refugee Care in the framework of the pandemic , that Mexico is ready to receive a large number of migrants who will become refugees, and even Mexican citizens.