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  4. Southwest Border Unaccompanied Alien Children Statistics FY 2016

Southwest Border Unaccompanied Alien Children Statistics FY 2016

“Out of an abundance of caution, the Office of Refugee Resettlement at HHS has begun a process to expand its temporary capacity to house unaccompanied alien children. This is a prudent step to ensure that the Border Patrol can continue its vital national security mission to prevent illegal migration, trafficking, and protect the borders of the United States.

As we have highlighted over the last few months, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have noted an increase in the number of unaccompanied alien children (UAC) and family units apprehended along the southwest border. The entire administration has been closely monitoring these current trends and coordinating across the whole of government to ensure an effective response to any changes in migration flows.

DHS and HHS are working together to accommodate these children without disrupting the vital national security mission of the Border Patrol and have begun a process to expand HHS temporary capacity to shelter unaccompanied alien children. The Office of Refugee Resettlement at HHS increased the capacity of current providers from 7,900 to 8,400 beds in November and is preparing for temporary bed space in the event that additional beds may be needed. ORR is continuously analyzing and monitoring bed capacity of unaccompanied alien children referred to HHS, as well as the information received from interagency partners, to inform any future decisions or actions.

We continue to aggressively work to secure our borders, address underlying causes and deter future increases in unauthorized migration, while ensuring that those with legitimate humanitarian claims are afforded the opportunity to seek protection. We also continue to look at broader regional efforts to address the flow of children and family units from Central America into the United States.”

Southwest Border Unaccompanied Alien Children (0-17 yr old) Apprehensions

Comparisons below reflect Fiscal Year 2016 (October 1, 2015 - January 31, 2016) compared to the same time period for Fiscal Year 2015.

Sector Fiscal Year 2015 Fiscal Year 2016 % Change
Big Bend Sector 83 518 >500%
Del Rio Sector 414 972 135%
El Centro Sector 147 330 124%
El Paso Sector 350 1,186 239%
Laredo Sector 743 997 34%
Rio Grande Sector 6,043 12,289 103%
San Diego Sector 307 493 61%
Tucson Sector 1,849 2,492 35%
Yuma Sector 169 1,178 >500%
Southwest Border Total 10,105 20,455 102%

Southwest Border Family Unit Apprehensions*

Comparisons below reflect Fiscal Year 2016 (October 1, 2015 - January 31, 2016) compared to the same time period for Fiscal Year 2015.

Sector Fiscal Year 2015 Fiscal Year 2016 % Change
Big Bend Sector 90 582 >500%
Del Rio Sector 375 1,310 249%
El Centro Sector 168 405 141%
El Paso Sector 116 1,545 >500%
Laredo Sector 460 632 37%
Rio Grande Sector 6,435 16,359 154%
San Diego Sector 556 678 22%
Tucson Sector 715 1,298 82%
Yuma Sector 175 1,807 >500%
Southwest Border Total 9,090 24,616 171%

U.S. Border Patrol Southwest Border and Rio Grande Valley Sector Other Than Mexicans

Numbers below reflect Fiscal Year 2016 (October 1, 2015 - January 31, 2016)

Sector FY2016
Rio Grande Valley 44,322
Southwest Border 69,250

Unaccompanied Alien Children Encountered by Fiscal Year

Numbers below reflect Fiscal Years 2009-2015, FY 2016 (October 1, 2015 - January 31, 2016)

Country FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016
El Salvador 1,221 1,910 1,394 3,314 5,990 16,404 9,389 5,766
Guatemala 1,115 1,517 1,565 3,835 8,068 17,057 13,589 7,520
Honduras 968 1,017 974 2,997 6,747 18,244 5,409 3,152
Mexico 16,114 13,724 11,768 13,974 17,240 15,634 11,012 3,726

Family Unit Apprehensions Encountered by Fiscal Year*

Numbers below reflect Fiscal Year 2015, FY 2016 (October 1, 2015 - January 31, 2016)

Country FY 2015 FY 2016
El Salvador 10,872 8,243
Guatemala 12,820 8,113
Honduras 10,671 6,280
Mexico 4,276 1,066

* Note: (Family Unit represents the number of individuals (either a child under 18 years old, parent or legal guardian) apprehended with a family member by the U.S. Border Patrol.)

Last Modified: Feb 12, 2025