No, 8.5 million people haven't crossed the US-Mexico border since Biden took office

ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp announced Tuesday afternoon he will send more Georgia National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas this spring in an effort to deter illegal immigration.

In his address, he made the claim that 8.5 million people crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally throughout President Joe Biden's administration. Kemp also laid out some other numbers to support the need for Georgia's troops. Since 2019, the Georgia National Guard has been present at the border.

Kemp's claims are similar to some made by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and GOP presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, both of whom have also referenced that around 8 million people have tried to enter the U.S. from Mexico during Biden's time in office.

With several public figures and lawmakers citing a figure of around 8 million, let's verify.

THE QUESTION

Have 8.5 million people crossed the border from Mexico illegally into the United States during President Biden's time in office?

THE SOURCES

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection
• Department of Homeland Security

THE ANSWER

No, 8.5 million people haven't crossed the border during Biden's administration. However, Kemp's figures are not necessarily far off.

WHAT WE FOUND

"8.5 million illegal immigrants have crossed the border since Joe Biden took office. The border patrol arrested almost 250,000 people crossing the southern border in December alone," Kemp said in part.

Let's break down his claims using data from the Department of Homeland Security and reports from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

8.5 million immigrants have illegally crossed the border since Biden took office

Biden was sworn in as president on January 20, 2021.

When factoring numbers from February 2021 through December 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows that border patrol agents have documented 8,545,192 encounters nationwide. 

That's about 8.5 million encounters at both the northern and southern U.S. borders, according to U.S. CBP data. 

When narrowing down encounters to the southwest border from February 2021 through the most recent data provided by U.S. CBP, which is January 2024, that number is 7,254,386. 

So it's safe to say that, according to reported data by the agency, border patrol agents have reported around 7.3 million encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border since Biden took office. 

Not all encounters were unlawful attempts to enter the U.S. either.

CBP data shows the number of encounters that resulted in turning people away from the southwest U.S. border and expulsions within the same time frame is around 3.2 million people.

For emphasis, federal data doesn't count people but rather encounters.

U.S. CBP also records recidivism rates. More than a quarter of all migrant encounters at U.S. borders in both fiscal years 2021 and fiscal 2020 were repeat crossers, regardless of whether they came from the U.S.-Canada or U.S.-Mexico border, which likely means people were counted twice. The agency has only shared such data through fiscal year 2021.

It's also important to note that some people may have entered the country without ever encountering a U.S. federal agent.

Almost 250,000 people crossed the southern border in December 

Using figures from the Department of Homeland Security and monthly data reported via U.S. CBP, this is true.

CBP data for December 2023 documents apprehensions, which, by the agency's definition, "refers to the physical control or temporary detainment of a person who is not lawfully in the U.S., which may or may not result in an arrest."

Border patrol agents apprehended 249,735 people at the southwest border, according to reports.