U.S. reports record number of migrant apprehensions along Mexican border

The U.S. government recorded more than 1.7 million interdictions of migrants along the southern border during the past 12 months, the highest figure of any fiscal year in history, according to Department of Homeland Security data released Friday.

A massive increase in migration to the U.S.-Mexico border that peaked during the hot summer months led to a record-setting number of migrant apprehensions in fiscal year 2021, which ended in September.

Roughly 61% of the migrants encountered during the past 12 months were quickly expelled to Mexico or their homeland under a pandemic-era emergency policy known as Title 42, which U.S. border officials used to carry out more than 1 million expulsions during the past fiscal year.