In 2024, the U.S. Attorney in Arizona set a record by prosecuting over 10,500 individuals for the illegal entry or reentry into the country.
According to U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino, the decline in the number of migrants crossing the border has contributed to this.
According to Restaino, when there is a decrease in the number of people entering the country, like after President Biden’s executive order in June 2024, the Border Patrol can focus more on processing cases for prosecution. With fewer people arriving during the summer, the Border Patrol has more time to move forward with cases related to illegal re-entry, entry, and alien smuggling.
The office saw a significant rise in prosecutions for smuggling undocumented migrants last year, with over 1,200 individuals being prosecuted. This represents a 16% increase compared to the previous year. Notably, the prosecutions encompassed leaders and coordinators of smuggling organizations, as well as 11 underage teenagers. It is worth mentioning that a considerable number of the smugglers involved were U.S. citizens.
According to Restaino, individuals crossing the border are now more likely to face misdemeanor charges rather than felony charges. This suggests that the demographic arrested for border-related offenses has a less extensive criminal history compared to the previous year.