SAN DIEGO (AP) — The number of unaccompanied children encountered on the U.S. border with Mexico in April eased from an all-time high a month earlier, while more adults are coming without families.
Authorities encountered nearly 17,200 children traveling alone, down 9% from March but still far above the previous high in May 2019. Family encounters were also down. Overall, Border Patrol encounters topped 173,000, the highest level since April 2000.
The numbers aren’t directly comparable because many are expelled from the country under federal pandemic-related powers. Being expelled carries no legal consequences, so many people try to cross multiple times.
