By September, the United States is expected to grapple with more than 8 million asylum seekers and migrants who will have crossed the southern border.
The staggering figure represents a 167 percent increase in just five years and underscores the challenges facing an immigration system that is both underfunded and outdated.
The system appears to be struggling to cope with the high number of migrants pouring across the border in December, reaching an all-time high of 302,000 monthly crossings.
The backlog has left millions of people currently living in the U.S. in limbo, unsure whether they will be allowed to stay or simply be deported.
More than 8 million asylum seekers and migrants are expected to be in legal limbo in the U.S. by the end of September, a 167% increase in five years
Migrants cross the Rio Grande on Thursday in Juarez City, Mexico, at the border that separates Mexico from the United States
Groups of migrants of different nationalities are reaching the Rio Grande to cross and surrender to American authorities as elements of the Texas National Guard no longer prevent their passage in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on Saturday
Migrants attempt to cross the Rio Grande from Ciudad Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua on Thursday
Migrants who cross the border often have to wait several years for a decision on their application.
Recent data suggests the backlog has only increased during President Biden's time in office, due in part to the difficulties his administration has faced in dealing with the unprecedented influx of migrants, mostly from Central and South America .
At the end of fiscal year 2023, on September 30, more than 6 million people were registered on the so-called “non-detained file.”
Government projections, submitted in Department of Homeland Security documents to Congress, suggest the number will have risen to 8 million by October 1.
This also includes people who have been ordered deported or are still waiting for a final decision in their asylum or immigration procedure.
The majority are not held in limited detention spaces but are instead allowed to move freely.
The immigration system appears unable to keep up with the growing immigrant population. In December, more than 302,000 people crossed the border – a record high
The number of migrants crossing the southern border has skyrocketed since 2021
Groups of migrants of different nationalities are reaching the Rio Grande to cross and surrender to American authorities on Saturday
Activists and migrants on Mexico's northern border expressed relief after a U.S. judge postponed the entry into force of Texas law SB4, which would have allowed Texas authorities to arrest, detain or expel migrants starting February 26
Firefighters (from left) Rodrigo Pineda, William Dorsey and Lt. Julio Valdes of the Eagle Pass Fire Department recovers the body of a drowned migrant from the Rio Grande on Friday in Eagle Pass, Texas
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) currently only has 40,000 detention beds.
About 2 million of those in the backlog are considered high priority cases, primarily those who have received deportation orders to their home countries.
This also includes migrants who have a criminal record or against whom criminal proceedings are pending.
Making matters worse, federal immigration agencies, including CBP and ICE, face challenges due to partisan divisions in Congress that have hampered the allocation of necessary resources.
The Biden administration has asked for additional funding to address the border situation, but the requests have been met with resistance.
A bipartisan border deal that had been planned for months was scrapped by Republicans influenced by Trump's stance on the issue.
Trump appears to want to make the chaos at the border and the Biden administration's ineffectiveness in dealing with the problem a campaign issue for his party.
Republicans continue to push for more migrants to be detained and deported while ICE is forced to consider cuts.
Last month, migrants crossed arms as they waded into the Rio Grande with the intention of crossing Eagle Pass in Texas
Migrants prepare to cross the Rio Grande on Thursday
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump waves to people across the Rio Grande in Mexico in Shelby Park during a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border
President Joe Biden greets Brownsville Mayor John Cowen upon his arrival in Brownsville, Texas, on Thursday, where he met with Federal Border Patrol officials
Last month, the Senate failed to pass a bipartisan bill that would have addressed the agency's largest budget deficit of $700 million – the largest in history. The failed bill would have allocated $7.6 billion specifically for ICE.
Officials at ICE and the Department of Homeland Security said they are considering cutting costs by releasing thousands of immigrants and reducing detention numbers by 16,000 – from 38,000 to 22,000.
Meanwhile, thousands of people continue to cross the border every day in desperate situations.
After the collapse of the bipartisan border agreement, there is now speculation about whether President Biden will decide to take similar measures as Trump to curb illegal border crossings.
In any case, immigration experts, officials and congressional sources agree that any policy that effectively cracks down on illegal border crossings will require significant investments in personnel and other resources.