Border crossings in March jumped to highest level in 15 years

WASHINGTON, DC -- Mexican border crossings into the U.S. last month reached the highest level in 15 years, the Washington Post reported Friday.

The newspaper said U.S. Customs and Border Protection data it reviewed showed more than 171,000 migrants were taken into custody in March along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Post reported the March figure was the highest monthly total since 2006.

A breakdown of last month's numbers showed...

• CBP took in more than 18,800 unaccompanied children in March, a 99% increase from February and significantly above the previous May 2019 record of 11,861.
• The number of migrant family groups arriving at the border surged to more than 53,000 in March, up from 19,246 in February and 7,294 in January.

A Post analysis of the data concluded: "The extraordinary increases underscore the magnitude of the challenge facing the Biden administration, especially as it races to add emergency shelter capacity for an unprecedented number of teenagers and children crossing without their parents."