Venezuelan migrants surpass Mexicans in border arrests

More Venezuelans than Mexicans were arrested crossing the border last month
Economic downturn has led many Venezuelans to flee their home country
Biden granted temporary legal status to some and resumed deporting others

Updated: Oct 24, 2023 / 04:32 PM CDT

Dozens of Venezuelan migrants linger on both sides of the Rio Grande south of the border wall in El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, after being prevented from crossing by Texas National Guard troops.

(NewsNation) — Arrests of Venezuelans accused of illegally crossing the United States border have surpassed those of Mexicans for the first time, according to Customs and Border Protection data.

Border Patrol officials arrested 54,833 Venezuelans who entered the country from Mexico in September — more than twice the number of arrests compared to August. Officials arrested Mexican migrants crossing the border 39,733 times in September.

In Venezuela, economic collapse, political upset and a humanitarian crisis have driven the country’s natives to flee.

The nation’s economic downturn has led to harsh living conditions that mean many struggle to meet basic needs, driving them out of the country, the International Monetary Fund reported.

The Biden administration recently announced temporary legal status for nearly 500,000 Venezuelans already in the United States on July 31. He also vowed to deport those who arrived illegally after that date and failed to get asylum. The administration recently began deportation flights to Venezuela.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.