Apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border hit a 13-year high for the month of May, topping 130,000, according to newly released federal figures.
Detentions of previously unauthorized migrants jumped to 132,887 from 99,304 in April, a 33.8 percent increase, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data shows.
A further 11,391 people were turned away at the border in May, a slight uptick from 10,170 the previous month.{mosads}
The border numbers, usually announced in the second week of each month, were released shortly before a meeting Wednesday between Vice President Pence and Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard to discuss Mexico’s role in quelling mass migration.
The Trump administration has pressed the country to limit the flow of Central Americans northward through Mexico to the U.S., with President Trump vowing to slap tariffs on Mexico unless it helps stem the flow of migrants.
May was the third month in a row in which CBP officials detained or rejected more than 100,000 people at the border.
A large majority of the surge was driven by migrants traveling as family units, following a pattern that’s been apparent since 2018, according to the released data.
Of the 132,887 apprehensions, 84,542 were of people traveling in family units, up from 58,724 in April.
The number of unaccompanied minors apprehended at the southwest border also rose, from 8,900 in April to 11,507 last month, while apprehensions for single adults increased from 31,680 to 36,838.
Over the past two years, migrants have increasingly turned to voluntarily surrendering themselves to border authorities to seek asylum, rather than attempting to enter the country covertly.
The surge of apprehensions has overwhelmed CBP, which is now holding more than 19,000 migrants in detention.