Majority of Families Crossing Border Are Released Into United States

Illegal immigrants from Central America in a makeshift U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing center under the Anzalduas International Bridge after crossing the Rio Grande into the United States from Mexico in Granjeno, Texas, on March 12, 2021. Adrees Latif/Reuters

McALLEN, Texas—The Biden administration has moved away from sending families back across the border using the COVID-19 emergency measure called Title 42.

Now the vast majority (upwards of 85 percent) of family units who are apprehended by Border Patrol after crossing the border illegally are quickly released into the United States.