100,441 people attempted to cross into the U.S. along the Southwest border last month, a 28% increase since January, Customs and Border Protection senior official Troy Miller told reporters in a Wednesday call.
Why it matters: President Biden faces a mounting humanitarian crisis at the border, as children are being held for days in border stations and more migrants flee political oppression and economic devastation.
Where it stands: More than 9,400 of those stopped were unaccompanied minors, up from 5,800 unaccompanied minors stopped in January, per the New York Times.
- The Centers for Disease Control recently allowed shelters handling child migrants to expand to full capacity, abandoning a requirement that they stay near 50% to inhibit the spread of the coronavirus.
- Border crossings have been on the rise since April 2020, a CBP official on the call said.
What they're saying: Miller cited rising coronavirus infections in South and Central America, unemployment, rising violence and economic instability as driving greater numbers of migrants to the border.
- “If you put all those issues together, you’re going to see folks that are looking for a better way of life," he said.
Go deeper: Why migrants are fleeing their homes for the U.S.