Children Stopped at Border Likely Reached Record High in July

SAN DIEGO - The number of children traveling alone who were picked up at the Mexican border by U.S. immigration authorities likely hit an all-time high in July, and the number of people who came in families likely reached the second-highest total on record, a U.S. official said Monday, citing preliminary government figures. 

The sharp increases from June were striking because crossings usually slow during stifling — and sometimes fatal — summer heat.  U.S. authorities likely picked up more than 19,000 unaccompanied children in July, exceeding the previous high of 18,877 in March, according to David Shahoulian, assistant secretary for border and immigration policy at the Department of Homeland Security. The June total was 15,253.  The number of people encountered in families during July is expected at about 80,000, Shahoulian said. That's shy of the all-time high of 88,857 in May 2019 but up from 55,805 in June.