By PETE KASPEROWICZ • 1/18/17 8:39 PM

Apprehensions of illegal immigrants at the Southwest border continued to rise in December, showing that the border crisis that surprised Washington, D.C., policymakers in fiscal year 2014 has not abated.

DHS said Wednesday that 43,272 people were apprehended in December, well above the 29,528 people apprehended three Decembers ago, when a flood of immigrants caused a humanitarian crisis at the border.

U.S. officials have noted that apprehension levels are still far below levels seen in the 1980s and early 2000s. But they are still recent highs that are eclipsing the crisis seen in fiscal year 2014.

More than 40,000 people have been apprehended in each of the first three months of the fiscal year, easily outpacing the first three months of any of the prior five years. December 2016 was also the fifth consecutive month in which border apprehensions were higher than they were when the crisis was emerging three years ago.

The Obama administration took steps after that crisis year to reduce the number of illegal immigrants entering the country, and seemed to have success by 2015. But the numbers began surging again, and the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 has easily surpassed the numbers from late 2013 and into 2014.

Apprehensions of unaccompanied alien children also stayed elevated in December, at 7,243. That's down a little from November, but far above the 4,327 children apprehended three Decembers ago.

Border officials have said the increased incidents of illegal border crossing are due to the presidential election. Those officials have said some wanted to enter the country before Trump became president, in case he tightened the border, while others were hoping to get to the U.S. before Hillary Clinton was elected president, in case she offered amnesty.

DHS said total migration levels remained high due to families and children coming from Central America, Haitians entering via Brazil, and Cuban nationals.

DHS noted that it has opened two new immigrant holding facilities in Texas, which can hold 500 people each. But DHS has said more of those facilities might be needed.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dh...rticle/2612285