US encounters 'unprecedented' number of migrants at southern border, Homeland Security chief says

The Biden administration is facing a "serious challenge" at the US southern border, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Thursday, saying the US has encountered an "unprecedented" number of migrants illegally crossing the border.

During a news conference in Brownsville, Texas, Mayorkas stressed the sharp increase of migrants arriving at the US-Mexico border, many of whom are fleeing deteriorating conditions in their home countries.

In July, US Customs and Border Protection apprehended 212,672 people, up from June and amid some of the hottest summer weeks -- when arrests usually dip -- and of those,...