'Unprecedented' number of migrants cross Mexico border: US govt

An "unprecedented"numberofmigrantswere intercepted illegally crossing the US-Mexicoborderin July, the head of America's Homeland Security department has said.

Borderguards recorded more than 200,000 instances of people attempting to enter the United States during the month, according to USCustomsandBorderProtection.

"We are encountering anunprecedentednumberofmigrantsin between the ports of entry at our southernborder," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told a press conference in Texas Thursday.

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"The situation at theborderis one of the toughest challenges we face. It is complicated, changing and involves vulnerable people at a time of a global pandemic."

Migrant arrivals to the United States declined markedly during the initial phase of the Covid-19 pandemic but began to pick up later in 2020, before surging since President Joe Biden took office.

The latest figures demonstrate a deviation from seasonal trends. Punishingly hot summer weather usually sees thenumberofmigrantsattempting tocrossdecrease.

Borderauthorities also said thenumberof unaccompanied children increased 24 percent in July, to just under 19,000, from the previous month.

A significantnumberof expulsions during the pandemic has also contributed to "a larger-than-usualnumberofmigrantsmaking multiplebordercrossing attempts."