According to US Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz, over 14,000 people have been apprehended and approximately 4,316 people have gotten away at the southern border since Title 42 restrictions were lifted last week.

Past 72 Hours…
– 3 Agents Assaulted
– 14,752 Apprehensions
– 4,316 Approx. Gotaways
– 4 lbs. Marijuana
– 1 lb. Cocaine
– $58,758 Seized
– 2 Firearms
– 5 Sex Offenders
– 1 Wanted Felon

A busy weekend for our workforce!
Thank You! pic.twitter.com/BA4U38qLXP

— Chief Jason Owens (@USBPChief) May 15, 2023

Three agents have also been assaulted in the past 72 hours, Fox News Digiral reports.

Border Patrol agents ALSO seized 4 pounds of marijuana, 1 pound of cocaine, and nearly $60,000 in cash. They have also encountered five sex offenders and one wanted felon.

Biden on illegal crossings since Title 42 have lifted: “[Numbers] have gone down…”

pic.twitter.com/AvUxozrxav

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) May 15, 2023

Title 42, the immigration restrictio, launched during the start of the first Covid wave, expired on Thursday, May 12, and new enforcement measures went into effect the following day.

Since the end of Title 42, the number of migrants encountered at the southern border has fallen by 50% compared to the 10,000-plus migrants encountered each day for the three days leading up to the end of Title 42. US officials are warning that it is too early to draw conclusions.

I'm in Brownsville, seeing the #BidenBorderCrisis firsthand— this is his fault!

We already have the worst illegal immigration in the history of our country & it’s about to get worse.

Biden needs to stop hiding in the basement and go see this humanitarian crisis. #Title42 pic.twitter.com/HKJPv8NUKA

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 12, 2023

Title 42 allowed US officials to quickly expel migrants without letting them seek asylum, but it also carried no consequences for those who entered the country and were expelled.

In the lead-up to the end of Title 42, the U.S. introduced tough enforcement measures to discourage people from arriving at the border and instead encouraged them to use one of the pathways that the UShas created to facilitate migration.

Ssome migrants who were worried about these tough enforcement measures came before Title 42 expired.

CNN: "Were you aware of Title 42 and that they were gonna open the border like before the pandemic?"

"Yes."

CNN: "That's why you came?"

"Yes." pic.twitter.com/wv3fta5XYJ

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 11, 2023

The US is currently in litigation about whether it can release migrants without a “notice to appear,” which includes a court date and some type of monitoring with immigration officials.

Since 2021, the US has often released migrants from custody with instructions to report to an immigration office in 60 days, a process that takes only 20 minutes, but it has been criticized for not providing enough oversight.

US authorities have said they cannot confidently estimate how many people will cross the border. According to Deputy Border Patrol Chief Matthew Hudak, authorities predict arrests will spike to between 12,000 and 14,000 a day.

.@PressSec last week : “Claims that CBP is encouraging or allowing mass release of migrants is just categorically false. That is not what’s occurring.”

Thursday alone, 6,000+ migrants released without a court date – and admin is arguing in federal court it needs these releases. https://t.co/e2kXQthYZM

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) May 15, 2023

Fox News reporter Bill Melugin pressed White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday, accusing US Customs and Border Protection of “encouraging or allowing mass release of migrants.” He said that on Thursday alone, more than 6,000 migrants were released without a court date, and the Biden administration was arguing in federal court that it needs these releases.