Figures released on Friday show that the number of undocumented immigrants from Central America attempting to gain illegal entry into the US via the Mexico border was largely responsible for the 23 percent increase in arrests made by US Border Patrol, during the 2016 fiscal year.
Apprehensions increased to 415,816 over the course of the 12 months that concluded on 30 September. The same period in the 2015 fiscal year saw just 337,117 arrests, which was the lowest since 1994, according to the US Department of Homeland Security. But, the 2016 fiscal year figures are still the fifth lowest recorded by Border Patrol since 1972. They are far lower than the figures recorded during the early 2000s and late 90s.
As happened for the first time during the 2014 fiscal year, there were more Central Americans than Mexicans stopped during 2016 by Border Patrol. Many of these were unaccompanied immigrant minors, as well as families from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Homeland Security claims that they are escaping violence and poverty in their home countries. This is a change from previous years when adult Mexican men represented most of the would-be immigrants.
The end of year report from the Department of Homeland Security noted that many such undocumented immigrants are no longer trying to avoid capture, but instead they willingly surrender to immigration authorities to be able to claim asylum.