Fact check: What were the US-Mexico border crossing numbers under the Biden administration?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, US-Mexico border crossing numbers under the Biden administration were historically high. Multiple sources confirm that there were approximately 8-11 million total encounters during Biden's tenure from January 2021 through late 2024 ^{[1] [2] [3]}.

The most specific data indicates:

• 8.6 million migrant encounters from January 2021 through October 2024 ^[3]
• Average of nearly 160,000 monthly border encounters throughout the four-year period ^[1]
• Peak daily encounters reached 15,000 ^[1]
• Historic high of nearly 2.5 million encounters in fiscal year 2023 ^[3]
• About 8 million encounters specifically at the southwest land border with Mexico out of the total 10+ million southern border encounters ^[2]

However, the numbers showed significant variation over time. Border crossings plummeted to 56,400 in July [2024], the lowest level in nearly 4 years, following Biden's executive order to partially suspend asylum processing ^[4]. By 2025, encounters had decreased to levels not seen since the 1960s ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual factors are absent from a simple numerical answer:

• Many encounters involved repeat crossers, meaning the actual number of unique individuals was lower than total encounter numbers ^[3]
• Policy changes significantly impacted the numbers - Biden's asylum restrictions in 2024 led to dramatic decreases in crossings ^{[4] [5]}
• Mexican enforcement cooperation played a crucial role in reducing crossings, particularly in 2024-2025 ^[5]
• The sustainability of low crossing numbers remains questionable according to migration policy experts ^[5]

Different stakeholders benefit from emphasizing different aspects of these numbers:

• The Department of Homeland Security benefits from highlighting recent decreases and enforcement successes ^[1]
• Immigration advocacy groups like the American Immigration Council benefit from criticizing policy approaches that may harm asylum seekers ^[6]
• The Trump administration benefits from claiming credit for continued low numbers in 2025 ^[7]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral and factual, simply requesting data. However, the framing could potentially be misleading depending on how the answer is used:

• Focusing solely on raw encounter numbers without context about repeat crossers could inflate perceptions of unique individuals crossing ^[3]
• Presenting only peak numbers without showing the dramatic decline in 2024-2025 would provide an incomplete picture ^{[4] [5]}
• The question doesn't specify whether it seeks total encounters, unique individuals, or successful crossings, which are different metrics with different implications

The analyses reveal that immigration policy organizations have competing interpretations of what these numbers mean - with some emphasizing enforcement success ^[1] while others criticize the humanitarian impact of policies that reduced crossings ^[6].