EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Before Title 8 seemingly slammed the brakes on irregular migration, border agents were seeing an increase in migrant encounters at the Southwest border.

Border agents apprehended 182,114 unauthorized migrants between ports of entry in April, a 12% increase over March. Total encounters were up 10% to 211,401 in April when land and air encounters are factored in.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said it’s normal for irregular migration to increase at winter’s end and noted an 11% decrease in apprehension if we compare this past April to April of 2022.

The agency said the number of unaccompanied minors crossing the border this past April decreased 7% in April while single adult encounters were up 5% when compared to March. The largest increment (28%) was in families. Only 14% of those families were designated for Title 42 expulsions, while just under half of single adults were expelled in April.

CBP in April processed 65% of the migrants under the more-comprehensive Title 8 rules in anticipation of the pandemic-era Title 42 public health expulsions going away on May 11.

“As part of our planning for the end of the Title 42 public health order, we have surged resources, technology, and personnel to safely and orderly manage challenges along the southern border,” CBP Acting Commissioner Troy A. Miller said, adding border agents and officers are adapting to changing trends and rules.

CBP said 28,738 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans were paroled into the U.S. in April in accordance with rules established in October for Venezuelans and expanded in January to the other nationalities. Those include making online appointments for asylum through the CBP One app.

Since January 12, more than 79,000 migrants have scheduled appointments through the app, with the top nationalities being Mexican, Venezuelan and Haitian. In April, CBP processed at ports of entry 22,000 individuals who made appointments through the app. They were granted exceptions to Title 42 expulsions based on individual vulnerability.

The agency acknowledges not all those who seek appointments through CBP One get them because of the high demand.

Federal immigration officers nationwide have apprehended a total of 1,816,958 undocumented migrants since October 1, CBP reported.