“Gotaways” is a term used by the U.S. Border Patrol to describe undocumented immigrants who successfully enter the United States without being apprehended. Specifically, gotaways are defined as unlawful border crossers who:
- Are directly or indirectly observed making an unlawful entry into the United States
- Are not apprehended by border authorities
- Are not classified as “turnbacks” (those who retreat back across the border)
According to recent data obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests:
Over 1.7 million gotaways have been recorded since the beginning of the Biden administration in 2021.
.This number exceeds the 1.4 million gotaways recorded in the decade from 2010 to 2020.The fiscal year 2023 saw a record high of 670,674 gotaways.
Ricardo Chavira Chicano 