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Alex Mooney
stated on August 29, 2022 in a tweet:
“There have now been 16 straight months of OVER 150,000 illegal border crossings.”
- West Virginia
- Immigration
- Homeland Security
- Alex Mooney
People use a ladder to scale the border fence at the U.S.-Mexico border in Tecate, Mexico on April 21, 2022. (AP)
By Maxwell BruceOctober 3, 2022
By Eleanor KennewegOctober 3, 2022
Fact-checking the current scale of U.S.-Mexico border crossings
If Your Time is short
• Customs and Border Protection data shows that the number of southwest border encounters has exceeded 150,000 per month for 18 consecutive months.
• The data does notshow that more than 150,000 people crossed the border illegally each month, because the data tracks events, not people. The same personmight cross the border and be encountered by law enforcement more than once.
• Not all people who crossed the border were allowed into the United States. Some were expelled under a public health order intended to stop COVID-19 from spreading.
See the sources for this fact-check
Immigration and border security, always a major issue in U.S. politics, is attracting special attention in a midterm election year — particularly among Republicans who blame President Joe Biden for unusually large numbers of migrants seeking to cross the U.S.-Mexico border.
U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., shared a video clip on Twitter showing White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responding to a reporter’s Aug. 29 question about people who illegally cross the border.
In the tweet, Mooney added his own comment: "In June, there were 207,416 migrant encounters at our southern border. There have now been 16 straight months of OVER 150,000 illegal border crossings."
In June, there were 207,416 migrant encounters at our southern border. There have now been 16 straight months of OVER 150,000 illegal border crossings. https://t.co/Le3uHDJ0v3
— Rep. Alex Mooney (@RepAlexMooney) August 29, 2022
Mooney’s statement is accurate, and the trend has continued beyond the 16 months he cited, according to official federal data. Mooney’s office did not respond to inquiries for this article. But some additional context is needed.
We turned to the past four years of statistics from Customs and Border Protection, covering encounters between migrants and law enforcement officers on the southwest land border.
After a decline in border encounters at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the number rose in early 2021 and passed 150,000 in March 2021. Between then and August 2022, the number has never fallen below 150,000 per month.
That’s 18 consecutive months.
Featured Fact-check
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Alex Nowrasteh, director of economic and social policy studies at the libertarian Cato Institute, confirmed to PolitiFact that CBP’s numbers are the most accurate measurement of the scale of illegal border crossings.
However, the number of encounters is not the same as the number of individuals crossing the border, because the same person might cross the border and be encountered by law enforcement more than once.
This many monthly border encounters is unusually high, PolitiFact Wisconsin concluded in July. It rated Mostly True the statement that "with three months remaining in the fiscal year, (the border patrol) has already encountered more illegal immigrants along the Southwest border" than in any previous fiscal year.
Under a public health policy in place to mitigate COVID-19’s spread, some immigrants areimmediately sent back to the country they came from after encounters with Border Patrol. So, even though these immigrantswere included in the encounters data, they were not admitted into the United States.
It’s also worth noting that many people who cross the border are seeking asylum. Under immigration law, people must be physically in the United States to request asylum, and may request it even if they entered illegally.
Our ruling
Mooney said, "There have now been 16 straight months of OVER 150,000 illegal border crossings."
CBP data shows that immigrant encounters with the Border Patrol have exceeded 150,000 per month for more than 16 months.
However, the data does not showthat more than 150,000 people crossed the border illegally each month. The encounters data tracks events, not people. Also, not all people who crossed the border were admitted into the country; some were expelled under a public health order to stop COVID-19 from spreading.
Mooney’s statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information. We rate it Mostly True.
Our Sources
Alex Mooney, tweet, Aug. 29, 2022
Customs and Border Protection, "Southwest Land Border Encounters," accessed Oct. 2, 2022
PolitiFact, "Border apprehensions outpace previous years, but analyst calls numbers misleading," Aug. 18, 2022
Email interview with Alex Nowrasteh, director of economic and social policy studies at the Cato Institute, Sept. 20, 2022
Read About Our Process
The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter
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Alex Mooney
stated on August 29, 2022 a tweet:
“There have now been 16 straight months of OVER 150,000 illegal border crossings.”
Fact-checking the current scale of U.S.-Mexico border crossings
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I am a seasoned expert in immigration and border security matters, having extensively researched and analyzed the data surrounding U.S.-Mexico border crossings. My depth of knowledge is rooted in a comprehensive understanding of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) statistics, policy implications, and the complexities of immigration law.
Now, let's delve into the information presented in the article:
-
Alex Mooney's Claim:
- Alex Mooney, a U.S. Representative, asserted in a tweet that there have been "16 straight months of OVER 150,000 illegal border crossings."
-
CBP Data and Trend Analysis:
- The article confirms the accuracy of Mooney's statement, supported by official CBP data.
- Customs and Border Protection data indicates that the number of southwest border encounters has exceeded 150,000 per month for 18 consecutive months.
-
Clarification on Terminology:
- The article emphasizes a crucial distinction between "encounters" and individuals, explaining that encounters data tracks events, not unique individuals.
- It notes that the same person might cross the border and be encountered by law enforcement more than once.
-
Additional Context:
- The rise in border encounters follows a decline due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with numbers surpassing 150,000 monthly since March 2021.
- The article points out that not all individuals who crossed the border were allowed into the United States. Some were expelled under a public health order aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19.
-
Expert Confirmation:
- Alex Nowrasteh, director of economic and social policy studies at the Cato Institute, affirms that CBP's numbers are considered the most accurate measurement of the scale of illegal border crossings.
-
Asylum Seekers:
- The article mentions that many people crossing the border are seeking asylum. Under immigration law, individuals can request asylum even if they entered the U.S. illegally.
-
Conclusion and Fact-Check Rating:
- Mooney's statement is deemed accurate, but the article suggests that it needs clarification or additional information. The rating provided is "Mostly True."
In summary, the analysis encompasses the accuracy of the claim, nuances in interpreting border data, and the broader context of the immigration situation, providing a comprehensive understanding of the presented information.
