Migrant Border Crossings This Year Outnumber Populations of 17 States

The number of migrants crossing the border from Mexico into the United States in 2023 surpassed the populations of 17 states, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

In the first 11 months of 2023, at least 2,953,676 migrants crossed either of the United States' southwestern or northern borders, according to CBP data. That's an increase from recent years that has created a headache for President Joe Biden, who has faced attacks from Republicans about border security.

Biden's critics argue that his administration has not done enough to curb the influx of migrants, and that his approach to the border has incentivized migration. Some experts, however, have said external factors such as political instability have been primary drivers of migration. Biden is facing bipartisan backlash on the border as communities across the country, ranging from Texas border towns to Chicago, grapple with the influx of migrants. Even some Democrats, such as New York Mayor Eric Adams, have voiced criticism of Biden's handling of the border.

There are 17 states that have smaller populations than the number of migrants who crossed the border into the U.S. this year, per U.S. Census population estimates. The 17 states are: Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email.

The number of new migrants marks an increase from the past few years. In 2022, 2,738,145 migrants crossed the border, while the number was 2,069,805 in 2021, according to CBP data.

The highest number of migrants crossed the border in September, when 341,392 entered the U.S., the data found.

At least 2,240,056 migrants crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, while 176,256 crossed the border with Canada, the data found.

Biden Admin Grapples With Migrant Influx

The White House and congressional leaders worked in recent weeks to reach a deal on immigration that would deliver more resources to the border while also securing more funding for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia in the 22-month-old war. Although immigration is an issue Congress has struggled to make progress on for years, negotiators have expressed optimism that they might reach a deal next year.

The Associated Press reported that negotiators have focused on toughening the "credible fear standard" used in initial asylum interviews to determine if asylum seekers have a winnable case and delivering billions of dollars to the border.

The Biden administration proposed $14 billion in border security spending, but Republicans said it was not enough, AP reported.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas are scheduled to meet with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Wednesday and are set to discuss "unprecedented irregular migration in the Western Hemisphere," as well as how the two countries can work together on border security, according to a State Department press release.