REUTERS
A record-setting number of migrants crossed the southern border into the United States in September, with over 260,000 encounters reported by Customs and Border Protection in the last 30 days, according to a report.
The stunning figure — which is roughly the population of St. Petersburg, Florida — is the highest monthly total ever reported by border officials as the country grapples with the migrant crisis, CBP sources told Fox News.
That number includes both CBP encounters between ports of entry and Office of Field Operations (OFO) encounters at ports, Fox reported.
The previous record was set last December, when CBP officials reported 252,320 migrant encounters.
Crossings were trending downward through much of the new year however they skyrocketed in recent months. Just last week, CBP announced there were at least 230,000 migrant encounters in August.
Agency officials told Fox they are experiencing daily high crossings. Earlier this month, some 9,100 migrants crossed from Mexico to Arizona alone in a single day.
In El Paso, Texas, more than 2,000 migrants are entering the US each day, forcing the Democratic-run border city to charter as many buses it can to cities across the country.
Border patrol, overwhelmed and without enough resources to deal with the deluge, have had to release immigrants into the streets in some cases.
CBP officials told Fox that the latest surge comes at a critical time with lawmakers distracted in Washington D.C. with thwarting a government shutdown, which would have halted paychecks for border agents, who are essential federal employees.
A last-minute bipartisan deal approved by the House and Senate on Saturday night, keeping the government running through Nov. 17.
