EXCLUSIVE: Record 2.2 Million Migrants Apprehended by Border Patrol in FY22, 604K Got Away

Border Patrol agents apprehended a record-setting 2.2 million migrants who illegally crossed the southwest border with Mexico, according to a source within U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In addition, the unofficial year-end numbers show an estimate of nearly 604,000 migrant got-aways.

As the record-setting Fiscal Year 2022 came to a close at midnight, a source within U.S. Customs and Border Protection told Breitbart Texas that agents working the nine southwest border sectors apprehended more than 2.2 million migrants. This represents an increase of nearly 27 percent over last year’s record of 1.7 million migrant apprehensions. The source spoke to Breitbart under the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to journalists.

The Del Rio Sector jumped from second place last year to become the busiest of the Border Patrol sectors with the apprehension of nearly a half-million migrants this year. The number of apprehensions jumped from nearly 260,000 in FY21 to 480,000 this year — an increase of nearly 85 percent. The number of migrants apprehended in this sector in FY2020 was slightly over 90,000.

The Rio Grande Valley Sector fell to second place with the apprehension of 468,000 migrants. This is down from last year’s record of nearly 550,000.

In addition to the 2.2 million migrant apprehensions, Border Patrol officials classified another nearly 604,000 as got-aways. This number is a conservative estimate of migrants who are seen crossing the border but cannot be apprehended at the time, migrants that are part of a group that is partially apprehended, or by estimating numbers based upon tracks found in smuggling areas.

The number of got-aways is up from last year’s estimate of 500,000 in Fiscal Year 2021.

Agents previously told Breitbart the numbers of got-aways are likely much higher because of the constant flow of migrants being apprehended along the southern border impedes the agency’s ability to adequately patrol miles of the border. The absence of routine patrols is driving the got-away numbers up as there are no available Border Patrol agents to respond to electronic sensors, camera activations, and unmanned aerial surveillance sightings.

Editor’s Note: The Fiscal Year 2022 numbers above are from unofficial CBP reports reviewed by Breitbart Texas. Those numbers could change slightly when the official numbers are released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s year-ending Southwest Land Border Encounter report later this month.

Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol.  Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.

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