The number of unaccompanied alien children (UAC) crossing the border illegally since February 2021 stands at 243,850. In Fiscal Year 2020 under the previous administration, 34,126 UACs were encountered. The surge has resulted taxpayer costs exceeding $6 billion in 2021 alone.
On average, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 350 UACs are apprehended daily by Customs and Border Protection, which includes the Border Patrol. HHS assumes custody of UACs from countries other than Mexico to locate sponsors within the United States. Then, HHS releases the minors to await a final decision on their immigration cases. According to HHS, the 30-day average of releases is 368 per day.
In Fiscal Year 2021, more than 127,000 UACs were transferred to HHS. According to a Congressional Research Service report, funding for the Unaccompanied Alien Children for 2021 was…
