The reported decline in illegal immigration at the U.S. southern border in June, touted as the lowest level in over two years, may not provide an accurate representation, warns a former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official.
According to CBS News, Border Patrol agents apprehended around 100,000 individuals crossing the border illegally between ports of entry in June. This figure marks a significant decrease compared to the approximately 169,000 apprehensions recorded in May.
However, Lora Ries, the director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, cautions that the apparent decrease is primarily a result of lenient parole policies that encourage immigrants to enter through designated ports of entry instead of between them. The reported numbers also fail to account for individuals who successfully evade border security and make it into the interior of the United States without being apprehended, both known and unknown.