A minimum of 1,525,210 foreign nationals illegally crossed the Southwest U.S. border in fiscal 2024, according to preliminary data The Center Square exclusively obtained from a Border Patrol agent on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.
The data excludes Office of Field Operations data, gotaway data (those who illegally entered and evaded capture), and northern border apprehension data, meaning the overall number is likely much higher.
It also excludes the 1.3 million inadmissables released into the U.S. through two parole programs created by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. More than 12 of the programs were identified as illegal by House Republicans who impeached Mayorkas in February. Dozens of state attorneys general sued to stop them, arguing they violate federal law; federal judges also ruled they are illegal.
In three Democratic-led western border states, Border Patrol agents reported 994,570 illegal border crosser apprehensions compared to 530,640 in Texas for the fiscal year, according to the preliminary data.
Texas accounts for nearly 65% of the U.S.-Mexico border, but apprehensions there accounted for 35% of the total in fiscal 2024, according to the preliminary data. Texas has the greatest number of ports of entry and U.S. Custom and Border Protection sectors.