The Border Patrol saw a jump last month in the number of migrants trying to cross the border in Arizona.
Adults traveling alone accounted for the bulk of migrants apprehended in the Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector. But the sharpest increases from January to February involved families crossing the border together, according to Customs and Border Protection statistics released Wednesday.
Border Patrol agents in the Tucson Sector apprehended about 12,300 adults traveling alone in February, up from about 9,500 in January.
Many of them are crossing the border in a corridor that runs from Sasabe to Three Points, CBP officials said.
In the Yuma Sector, agents apprehended nearly 3,000 single adults in February, compared with 850 in January.
The number of migrants traveling as families more than doubled in the Tucson Sector, rising from about 400 in January to nearly 1,000 in February.
The Biden administration's coordinator for the southern border warned Wednesday now is not the time for migrants, especially children and families, "to make the dangerous trip to try and enter the U.S. in an irregular fashion."
In the Yuma Sector, they rose from about 560 to more than 1,700, which prompted Border Patrol officials to send some of the families by bus to shelters in Tucson and Phoenix.
Children crossing the border without a parent or guardian in the Tucson Sector rose from about 870 in January to nearly 1,400 in February. The number in the Yuma Sector went from about 210 to about 370.
About 100K picked up along entire border
Border Patrol agents along the length of the U.S.-Mexico border apprehended nearly 97,000 migrants in February between ports of entry, up from about 75,300 in January. Borderwide, another 3,500 migrants were stopped by customs officers at ports of entry in February, a slight increase from January.
“The number of encounters at the border has been rising since April 2020 due to ongoing violence, natural disasters, food insecurity, and poverty in the Northern Triangle countries of Central America,” said a CBP news release Wednesday.
Some of the increase in apprehensions is due to migrants trying repeatedly to cross the border, rather than simply an increase in the number of migrants. Along the length of the border, roughly 1 in 4 apprehensions involved a repeat crosser, much higher than in recent years, according to CBP.
“The border is not open,” CBP emphasizes
The Border Patrol expelled about 70,200 people in February under Title 42, a health order implemented in March 2020 by the Trump administration to slow the spread of the coronavirus in Border Patrol facilities and detention centers. Those expulsions typically take a few hours.
Another 26,800 people were processed for immigration violations.
“The United States is continuing to strictly enforce our existing immigration laws and border security measures,” Troy Miller, CBP senior official performing the duties of the commissioner, said in the news release.
“Those who attempt to cross the border without going through ports of entry should understand that they are putting themselves and their families in danger, especially during the pandemic. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the border is not open, and the vast majority of people are being returned under Title 42,” Miller said.
“Do not believe smugglers or others claiming otherwise,” he said.
Along migration routes in Mexico, shelters are overbooked and vehicles packed with migrants are heading north on highways and back roads, Mexican officials told the Los Angeles Times last week.
Photos: Guatemalans cross border into Mexico in new test of migrant strategy
APTOPIX Mexico Central America Migrants
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A man rests next to the Suchiate River in Ciudad Hidalgo, on the Mexican border with Guatemala, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020. Mexican authorities have closed a border entry point in southern Mexico after thousands of Central American migrants tried to push across a bridge between Mexico and Guatemala. (AP Photo / Marco Ugarte)
Mexico Central America Migrants
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Honduran migrants they wash their clothes in the Suchiate River as a Mexican National Guardsman stands on guard in Ciudad Hidalgo, on the Mexican border with Guatemala, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020. Mexican authorities have closed a border entry point in southern Mexico after thousands of Central American migrants tried to push across a bridge between Mexico and Guatemala. (AP Photo / Marco Ugarte)
Mexico Central America Migrants
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A migration officer escorts a Honduran migrant that has just swam across the Suchiate river from Guatemala into Mexico, in Ciudad Hidalgo, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020. Mexican authorities have closed a border entry point in southern Mexico after thousands of Central American migrants tried to push across a bridge between Mexico and Guatemala. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Guatemala Central America Migrants
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Migrants sit at the bridge spanning the Suchiate River in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala were preparing to again walk en masse across a bridge leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Guatemala Central America Migrants
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Migrants rest at the bridge spanning the Suchiate River in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala were preparing to again walk en masse across a bridge leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Guatemala Central America Migrants
Updated
Migrants gather at the bridge spanning the Suchiate River in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala were preparing to again walk en masse across a bridge leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Guatemala Central America Migrants
Updated
Migrants gather at the bridge spanning the Suchiate River in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala were preparing to again walk en masse across a bridge leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
APTOPIX Guatemala Central America Migrants
Updated
Migrants gather at the bridge spanning the Suchiate River in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, at the border with Mexico. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala were preparing to walk en masse across this bridge leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Santiago Billy)
Guatemala Central America Migrants
Updated
Migrants gather at the bridge spanning the Suchiate River in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala were preparing to walk en masse across a bridge leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Santiago Billy)
Mexico Central America Migrants
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Locals cross the Suchiate River from Mexico to Guatemala near Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala were preparing to walk en masse across a bridge leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Mexico Central America Migrants
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Honduran migrants walk in the Suchiate River after washing up near the bridge, top, as they return to Tecun Uman, Guatemala, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, on the border with Mexico. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala were preparing to walk en masse across a bridge leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
APTOPIX Guatemala Central America Migrants
Updated
Central American migrants cross the Suchiate River by foot from Tucun Uman, Guatemala, to Mexico, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala are walking en masse across a river leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Guatemala Central America Migrants
Updated
Central American migrants cross the Suchiate River by foot from Tucun Uman, Guatemala, to Mexico, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala are walking en masse across a river leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Guatemala Central America Migrants
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Seen through the fence on the border bridge, Central American migrants cross the Suchiate River by foot from Tucun Uman, Guatemala, to Mexico, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala are walking en masse across a river leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Guatemala Central America Migrants
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Central American migrants holding Honduras' national flag stand on the legal border crossing bridge over the Suchiate River that connects Tucun Uman, Guatemala with Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala were preparing to walk en masse across a bridge leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Guatemala Central America Migrants
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Central American migrants rally on the legal border crossing bridge over the Suchiate River that connects Tucun Uman, Guatemala with Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala were preparing to walk en masse across a bridge leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Guatemala Central America Migrants
Updated
Central American migrants cross the Suchiate River by foot from Tucun Uman, Guatemala, to Mexico, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala are walking en masse across a river leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Mexico Central America Migrants
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A Central American migrant kneels with a Honduran flag after crossing the Suchiate River from Guatemala to Mexico as other migrants follow behind, near Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala are walking en masse across a river leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Guatemala Central America Migrants
Updated
Central American migrants cross the Suchiate River by foot from Tucun Uman, Guatemala, to Mexico, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala are walking en masse across a river leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Santiago Billy)
Guatemala Central America Migrants
Updated
Central American migrants cross the Suchiate River by foot from Tucun Uman, Guatemala, top left, to Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala are walking en masse across a river leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Santiago Billy)
Mexico Central America Migrants
Updated
Mexican National Guards stand on the bank of the Suchiate River where Central American migrants are crossing from Guatemala, near Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala are walking en masse across a river leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Mexico Central America Migrants
Updated
Mexican National Guards stand on the bank of the Suchiate River where Central American migrants are crossing from Guatemala, near Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala are walking en masse across a river leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Mexico Central America Migrants
Updated
A Central American migrant woman and child who crossed the Suchiate River from Guatemala to Mexico are stopped by Mexican security forces on the riverbank near Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. More than a thousand Central American migrants hoping to reach United States marooned in Guatemala are walking en masse across a river leading to Mexico in an attempt to convince authorities there to allow them passage through the country. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
