The number of migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border has hit a new record for any January on the books, according to federal data updated Tuesday.

Border Patrol recorded more than 176,000 migrant encounters at the southern border in January, according to the data. The previous January high was in 2023, when CBP recorded 157,358 encounters.

In January, Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s authorities seized control of a city park along the border and erected additional razor wire in response to a Supreme Court ruling that said the federal government could cut the wire.

The House of Representatives will hold a vote Tuesday for the second time on the articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. A Feb. 7 vote on the impeachment articles failed with 214 yeas to 216 nays, with four Republicans joining all House Democrats to vote against them.

“As a result of seasonal trends, as well as enhanced enforcement efforts by the men and women of CBP and our international partners, southwest border encounters between ports of entry dropped by 50% in January. We continue to experience serious challenges along our border which surpass the capacity of the immigration system,” Troy A. Miller, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner said in a statement Tuesday.

“CBP remains on the frontline in preventing fentanyl and other dangerous drugs from entering our country, enforcing our nation’s laws and interdicting 34% more fentanyl and 68% more cocaine than the previous month,” Miller added.

Under the Biden administration, Border Patrol agents have recorded record illegal immigration with more than 2.2 million illegal migrant encounters in fiscal year 2022 at the southern border and more than 2 million in fiscal year 2023, according to federal data.

So far in fiscal year 2024, Border Patrol has recorded more than 753,000 illegal migrant encounters in the region, according to the data.

Jennie Taer on February 13, 2024