After the massive influx of undocumented minors entering the United States last year, the rate during the current fiscal year has fallen dramatically. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data shows that the number of unaccompanied undocumented immigrant minors apprehended entering the United States has fallen by more than 50% at certain border sectors in the south-west.
So far this year 15,647 unaccompanied undocumented immigrant minors have been caught across nine sectors in the south-western United States; this time last year the number was significantly higher at 28,579. Rio Grande and Del Rio saw the number of apprehended minors fall by 53% and 50% respectively; however, the rate has increased in some other sectors, such as Yuma (67%) and Big Band (85%).
The apprehended immigrant minors are aged up to 17 years, with many considerably younger. The great majority of the unaccompanied undocumented immigrant minors come from Mexico and Guatemala, with 5,572 immigrant minors apprehended from Mexico and 5,465 from Guatemala. El Salvador comes in third place with 2,788 undocumented immigrant minors apprehended, with Honduras in fourth place with just 1,549.
Last year most of the undocumented immigrant minors caught by US Customs and Border Patrol were from Honduras. CBP points out that its aggressive moves to control the number of unaccompanied immigrant minors entering the United States has seen the amount entering South Texas falling to its lowest level since 2013.