Surge in Illegal Border Crossings: Venezuelans Overtake Mexicans

Venezuelans have become the largest nationality arrested for illegally crossing the U.S. border, surpassing Mexicans for the first time on record. In September, Venezuelans were arrested 54,833 times by the Border Patrol after entering from Mexico, more than double the previous month. Overall, arrests of all nationalities entering from Mexico reached 218,763 in September, the second-highest month on record. The Biden administration recently granted temporary legal status to nearly 500,000 Venezuelans already in the U.S., while pledging to deport those who come illegally after July 31. Republicans have seized on the issue as a major campaign topic for the upcoming elections.