July recorded almost 200,000 migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border 

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered more than 200,000 migrants in July, the lowest number recorded since February of this year, according to new data released on Monday. 

Around 199,976 migrants were intercepted at the border by authorities in July. Last month’s figures are a slight decrease from the 207,416 encountered in June and lower than the 213,592 encountered in July 2021. 

"This marks the second month in a row of decreased encounters along the Southwest border," CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus said in a statement on Monday. "While the encounter numbers remain high, this is a positive trend and the first two-month drop since October 2021."

Despite the slight dip in numbers, the 200,000 migrants encountered still indicates that the border crisis is still ongoing, overwhelming border agents and communities. 

Additionally, the number of migrant apprehensions so far in this fiscal year already exceeds the total of the previous fiscal year and has set record-breaking numbers. 

During the fiscal year 2021, more than 1.73 million migrants crossed the border, breaking the record for the highest number of undocumented immigrants entering the U.S. since 1960. Yet in the 10 months of the current fiscal year, border officials apprehended 1.74 million migrants, breaking last year’s records. 

In July, 134,362 of the migrants intercepted were single adults, around 74,573 of which were expelled from the country. 

Officials claim that around 18 percent of the migrants apprehended in July were migrants who had already entered the U.S. at least once and were forcefully removed from the country. 

More than 13,000 unaccompanied children crossed the U.S.-Mexico border last month. Most of the minors were transferred to shelters, where they will stay until they become adults or are connected to a sponsor, according to CBS news. 

The CBP data shows that in July CBP agents encountered 55,000 Mexican nationals, 20,305 Hondurans, 20,159 Guatemalans, 20,099 Cubans, 17,651 Venezuelans, 13,459 Colombians, 12,077 Nicaraguans, 7,941 Salvadorans, 5,396 Haitians, and 5,498 Brazilians.