Since President Biden’s executive action in June 2024, the number of attempted crossings between ports of entry decreased by over half, per U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). For the month of August 2024 under the Biden asylum policy update, 58,000 interactions were seen at the southwest border of the U.S. This is roughly 68% lower than August 2023 and lower than the monthly average for 2019, the last comparable fiscal year prior to the pandemic. On the northern border, following an increase in enforcement efforts, over 30% fewer encounters were seen in August 2024 compared to June 2024.
The new Biden asylum policy, enacted in June 2024, suspended noncitizen entry at the southern border. Asylum claims were also suspended if individuals crossed the border illegally. The partial asylum shutdown remains in effect until daily crossings between ports of entry falls below 1,500 per day, on average, for two weeks. The restrictions are again activated if the weekly average of daily illegal border crossing attempts reach 2,500.
Since the Biden action, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security expelled over 130,000 individuals, along with over 400 repatriation flights to over 140 countries, per CBP. Immigration rights groups challenged the executive action, stating the measures are not legal. That lawsuit is ongoing.
As always, ILBSG actively monitors ongoing U.S. immigration issues. If you have questions about asylum or any other U.S. immigration related topic, contact us. We work with our clients to ensure they get the right advice for their particular situations, maximizing their odds of a successful outcome.
