The News

The number of illegal crossings at the southern border increased in July after a sharp drop the previous month, calling into question just how effective the Biden administration’s new policies are in curbing illegal migration.

Customs and Border Protection data released on Friday showed there were more than 132,000 illegal crossings between official ports of entry in July. That is a 33 percent increase compared to June, when there were 99,539. Illegal crossings in June had dropped nearly 42 percent compared to May, when they stood at 171,387.

While overall crossings increased, the number of single adults who crossed illegally remained about the same in July as in June. Nearly twice as many migrant families, however, crossed in July than in June.