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Custody and Transfer Statistics

Fiscal Year 2024 runs from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024.

OFO Monthly Southwest Border Credible Fear Inadmissibles by Disposition

Disposition Oct-23 Nov-23 Dec-23 Jan-24 Feb-24 Mar-24 Apr-24
Expedited Removal-Credible Fear (ERCF)1 1,759 1,219 1,021 880 846 998 994
Notice To Appear (NTA)2 46,357 46,020 46,068 44,127 42,367 44,204 43,778
Notice To Appear (NTA)-Person Released 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Notice To Appear (NTA)-Person Detained 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Visa Waiver Program (VWP)- Removal-Limited Review3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Visa Waiver Program (VWP)- Removal-Refusal Review3 0 0 1 0 1 2 2
Stowaway-Limited Review3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total Credible Fear Inadmissibles 48,116 47,239 47,090 45,007 43,214 45,204 44,774

Title 8 Inadmissibles

Field Office Oct-23 Nov-23 Dec-23 Jan-24 Feb-24 Mar-24 Apr-24
El Paso 7,573 7,617 7,578 7,630 7,181 7,720 7,662
Laredo 24,439 24,225 24,826 24,841 23,647 24,572 24,720
San Diego 15,996 15,422 15,826 15,476 14,537 15,467 14,902
Tucson 4,170 4,032 4,014 4,031 3,909 4,129 4,007
Total 52,178 51,296 52,244 51,978 49,274 51,886 50,841

OFO Monthly Southwest Border Credible Fear Inadmissibles by Program

Program Oct-23 Nov-23 Dec-23 Jan-24 Feb-24 Mar-24 Apr-24
Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP)- Initial returns 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Asylum Cooperative Agreement (ACA) Program - Expedited Removal - Credible Fear (ERCF) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
ACA - Notice to Appear (NTA) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Humanitarian Asylum Review Process (HARP) Program -Expedited Removal - Credible Fear (ERCF) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
HARP - Notice to Appear 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OFO Monthly Southwest Border Credible Fear by Transfer Destination

Destination Oct-23 Nov-23 Dec-23 Jan-24 Feb-24 Mar-24 Apr-24
Federal/State/Local Facility 127 87 85 116 115 102 105
ICE/ERO 2,012 1,565 1,356 1,146 1,133 1,377 1,290
ICE/HSI 0 2 2 0 0 0 0
OFO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Return to Foreign 5 15 9 1 2 4 3
USBP 318 359 434 639 623 539 505
Total 2,462 2,028 1,886 1,902 1,873 2,022 1,903

1 Includes subjects who indicated a desire to seek asylum or a fear of persecution in Office of Field Operations’ (OFO) custody at a port of entry.  OFO refers all such claims to USCIS for a credible fear interview. Credible fear may be claimed at any time prior to removal.

2 This number reflects instances where OFO exercises its discretion and issues a Notice to Appear (NTA) to initiate removal proceedings before an immigration judge. This does not include NTAs issued at the discretion of other DHS components with authority to issue NTAs. In the event of being processed for removal with an NTA, individuals have up to one year to seek asylum while in proceedings before the immigration judge.

3 The term "limited review" refers to the process of an immigration judge considering claims of US citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residence, Asylum or Refugee status.  

Field Operations - Southwest Border In Custody1

Detention Capacity Oct-23 Nov-23 Dec-23 Jan-24 Feb-24 Mar-24 Apr-24
In Custody Capacity 902 902 902 902 902 902 902
% 564 (62.53%)2 654 (72.51%)2 646 (71.62%)2 608 (67.41%)2 599 (66.41%)2 621 (68.85%)2 586 (64.97%)2

1 Represents an estimate of each cell's coded occupancy limit, as outlined in technical design standards when constructed, multiplied by the total number of cells for all ports of entry within each field office. This number does not account for the unique circumstances that may limit the occupancy of a given cell (e.g., high risk, nursing/pregnant, transgender, unaccompanied minor, etc.) nor does it reflect operational limitations that affect a port's capacity to detain. CBP’s capacity to detain individuals in its short-term facilities depends on many factors, including: demographics of the individual in custody; medical or other needs of individuals in custody; ability of ICE ERO (or, if an unaccompanied child, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) to transfer individuals out of CBP custody; and OFO's available resources to safely process and hold individuals.

2 Represents the average number of travelers in custody on a daily basis averaged over the 30-day period, at all Southwest Border Field Office locations. Travelers include inadmissible individuals, lawful permanent residents, asylees, refugees, and United States Citizens who are being detained to verify wants, warrants, criminal, administrative or other judicial process.

OFO Southwest Border T8

Category Oct-23 Nov-23 Dec-23 Jan-24 Feb-24 Mar-24 Apr-24
Title 8 52, 178 51,296 52,244 51,978 49,274 51,886 50,841

As of Fiscal Year 2024 (starting October 1, 2023), Title 19 and Title 42 numbers are no longer updated. Title 19 travel restrictions were lifted May 23, 2023, and Title 42 expired on May 11, 2023. Please see previous fiscal year encounters at the bottom of this page for these statistics.

USBP Monthly Southwest Border Encounters by Processing Disposition

The processing disposition decision related to each apprehension is made on a case-by-case basis. As dispositions are subject to change throughout the process, the data below does not necessarily reflect final dispositions or removals in all cases.

Processing Disposition Oct-23 Nov-23 Dec-23 Jan-24 Feb-24 Mar-24 Apr-24
Notice To Appear/Own Recognizance (NTA-OR) 122,645 131,229 191,782 70,386 76,923 78,495 67,711
Paroles 1 1 1 0 1 0 0
Notice to Report (NTR) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Expedited Removal (ER) 27,117 22,140 20,812 23,567 29,115 25,200 27,783
Reinstatement of Prior Order of Removal 6,617 6,325 6,642 5,591 6,571 6,951 6,863
Warrant of Arrest/Notice To Appear - (Detained) 11,720 12,917 14,343 9,845 9,886 8,149 9,492
Voluntary Return 20,332 18,161 15,683 14,548 17,884 18,396 16,492
MPP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other1 322 334 473 282 254 280 563
Total Title 8 Apprehensions 188,754 191,107 249,736 124,219 140,634 137,471 128,884

1 Includes all paroles and is not limited to Parole + ATD 

2 Processing dispositions may include subjects that do not yet have a final disposition at the time the data was collected or subjects processed under the visa waiver program, turned over to, paroled, etc. 

USBP Monthly Southwest Border Apprehensions by Transfer Destination

Following processing, U.S. Border Patrol arranges transfer of individuals to the appropriate entity based on disposition and other factors such as criminal charges. The transfer destinations below are representative of the time data was aggregated. The data does not reflect subsequent transfer destinations after subjects leave Border Patrol custody and are subject to change if an individual returns to U.S. Border Patrol custody during the same event.

Transfer Destination Oct-23 Nov-23 Dec-23 Jan-24 Feb-24 Mar-24 Apr-24
Humanitarian Release 122,651 131,261 191,762 70,382 76,949 78,541 67,279
Federal1 30,432 28,542 30,641 26,083 33,139 25,522 28,612
Federal - Northern Triangle Repatriation Flights 6,789 6,431 6,184 2,729 2,700 2,068 1,794
Federal - Mexican Repatriation Flights 262 0 0 11 2 3 0
Port of Entry (Non-MPP) 26,084 22,759 19,094 23,146 25,249 26,754 24,637
Port of Entry (MPP) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies 1,593 1,181 1,123 1,595 2,193 2,016 1,658
Other2 914 928 880 225 391 2,563 778
Total Title 8 Transfers 188,725 191,102 249,684 124,171 140,623 137,467 124,758

1 Manifested as turned over to other Federal agencies, to include Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Health and Human Services, U.S. Marshals, etc.

2 Includes subjects that have not been transferred out of USBP custody at the time the data was collected or subjects manifested as transferred to hospital, paroled, etc.

USBP Average Daily Subjects In Custody by Southwest Border Sector

U.S. Border Patrol facilities, such as stations and central processing centers, provide short-term holding capacity for the processing and transfer of individuals encountered by agents. Maximum facility capacity along the southwest border is approximately 20,000 which assumes a homogenous population and full operating status at all facilities. Actual capacity fluctuates constantly based on characteristics of in-custody population, to include demographics, gender, criminality, etc. 

Sector Oct-23 Nov-23 Dec-23 Jan-24 Feb-24 Mar-24 Apr-24
Big Bend 6 7 54 6 7 8 10
Del Rio 1,933 2,210 3,304 716 609 414 319
El Centro 299 296 205 108 218 105 110
El Paso 2,038 1,666 3,193 1,763 2,185 1,998 1,964
Laredo 1,916 1,560 1,325 553 1,265 801 757
Rio Grande 3,009 2,548 3,721 2,249 1,855 1,690 1,470
San Diego 2,031 2,346 2,469 1,436 1,891 1,945 2,218
Tucson 2,038 2,859 3,876 1,724 1,748 1,255 1,268
Yuma 1,012 900 1,054 655 953 1,025 1,060
Total 14,283 14,392 19,199 9,211 10,731 9,241 9,176

USBP Southwest Border SPP Program Apprehensions Since Program Inception

Apprehension Data includes Deportable Migrants Only

Data Source: EID through BPERT (Unofficial) as of 4/04/2024

SPP Program SPP Program Type Inception Date Apprehensions Since Inception
MPP NTA Program 1/28/2019 82,232
ENV Removal Modality 8/5/2019 87,545
PACR ER Program 10/7/2019 3,080
HARP ER Program 10/28/2019 691
ACA_GUAT ER Program 11/19/2019 1,491
IRI/IFP Removal Modality 12/19/2019 31,678

Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP)

The Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) is an exercise of the Department of Homeland Security’s express statutory authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to return certain applicants for admission, or those who enter illegally between the ports of entry, who are subject to removal proceedings under INA Section 240 Removal Proceedings to Mexico pending removal proceedings.
 

Prompt Asylum Claim Review (PACR)

The Prompt Asylum Claim Review (PACR) pathway was developed by U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), in coordination with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) to promptly address credible fear claims of amenable individuals.
 

Asylum Cooperative Agreement (ACA)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in coordination with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), have executed Asylum Cooperative Agreements (ACAs) to facilitate the transfer of individuals to a third country where they will have access to full and fair procedures for determining their protection claims, based on the ACAs.
 

Humanitarian Asylum Review Process (HARP)

The Humanitarian Asylum Review Process (HARP), was developed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in coordination with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) to promptly address credible fear claims of amenable Mexican nationals.
 

Electronic Nationality Verification

Under the Electronic Nationality Verification (ENV) program U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in coordination with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), remove eligible noncitizens with a final order of removal to their native countries.
 

Interior Repatriation Initiative (IRI)

Under the Interior Repatriation Initiative (IRI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in coordination with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) and the Mexican Ministry of the Interior, remove eligible noncitizens from Mexico to the interior of Mexico.

Related Resources

Last Modified: May 15, 2024