Increasing Numbers of Inadmissible Migrants and Paroled Migrants at Ports of Entry
Published Mar 13, 2026
The latest detailed data updated through January 2026 show that ports of entry were encountering an increase in the number of “inadmissibles” – up on average 72 percent during the last 12 months. While numbers are still much lower than during the previous administration,[1] the recent trends at ports of entry are noteworthy.
When a noncitizen arrives at a port of entry – whether by air, sea, or land – and does not have a visa or other proper documents allowing them to enter the U.S. (an “inadmissible”), port authorities need to decide how the person should be handled. While the current administration is seeking “mass deportation” and at the border port authorities have the authority to deport the individual directly through expedited removal procedures, the use of expedited removal authority was actually down by 12 percent over the last twelve months. The issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Immigration Court had also fallen.
Instead, port authorities allowed an increasing number of noncitizens to enter the country through parole. Immigration parole allows noncitizens to temporarily enter and reside in the U.S. without formal admission, usually for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.[2] The number of individuals granted immigration parole increased from 3,304 in February 2025 to 12,639 in January 2026.
This latest monthly count has risen above the monthly numbers during the last months of the Biden administration, when the number of noncitizens granted parole was falling. December 2024 saw 5,977 parolees, and January 2025 saw 5,478 as compared with 12,639 a year later under the Trump administration.
Parolees now comprise a record-breaking 61.5 percent of all inadmissibles. Once parolees are subtracted, all other dispositions have actually fallen over the last twelve months. This shift, which became pronounced beginning in October 2025, is shown in Figure 1. Underlying numbers are found in Table 1.
| All Inadmissibles* | Decision | Percent Paroled | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Paroled** | All Other | ||
| 2026-01 | 20,539 | 12,639 | 7,900 | 62% |
| 2025-12 | 17,308 | 8,914 | 8,394 | 52% |
| 2025-11 | 15,101 | 7,042 | 8,059 | 47% |
| 2025-10 | 15,990 | 7,064 | 8,926 | 44% |
| 2025-09 | 10,655 | 1,396 | 9,259 | 13% |
| 2025-08 | 13,321 | 1,611 | 11,710 | 12% |
| 2025-07 | 12,530 | 1,492 | 11,038 | 12% |
| 2025-06 | 11,799 | 1,674 | 10,125 | 14% |
| 2025-05 | 12,035 | 1,697 | 10,338 | 14% |
| 2025-04 | 11,672 | 1,731 | 9,941 | 15% |
| 2025-03 | 11,979 | 2,217 | 9,762 | 19% |
| 2025-02 | 11,973 | 3,304 | 8,669 | 28% |
Grants of Parole by Port Authority Field Offices Vary
The largest number of foreign nationals who sought entry at U.S. ports without proper papers in January 2026 arrived in ports covered by field offices based in New York, Seattle, and San Francisco. Almost every field office experienced growth in the number of inadmissibles. Focusing on just the last three months, only the San Diego field office experienced a decline. At the other extreme, Boston showed the largest increase in inadmissibles of 153 percent. Boston also led rankings in the largest jump in foreign nationals granted immigration parole. The number of parolees at ports under the Boston field office grew by over 600 percent during the last 3 months.
What Countries Are Represented
Not surprisingly, the largest number of individuals who sought to enter the country without adequate documentation came from Mexico and Canada, both of which share a border with the U.S. Together, Mexico and Canada accounted for 40 percent of inadmissibles in January 2026. Individuals from India were in third place, not far behind the number of Canadians. Persons from China were the next largest contributor. No other country accumulated comparable numbers.
The makeup of those who port authorities granted immigration parole for humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit was somewhat different. See Table 1. Topping the list were individuals from India. Eighty-five percent of all individuals from India who sought entry to the U.S. without proper papers were granted parole. Mexico had the second highest number paroled, but they made up less than half of all Mexican inadmissibles. Persons from China had the third largest number who received parole. The percentage of their inadmissibles granted parole was also extremely high – 84 percent.
| Citizenship* | Paroled | Total Inadmissibles** | Percent Paroled |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Inadmissibles | 12,639 | 20,539 | 61.5% |
| India | 2,624 | 3,086 | 85.0% |
| Mexico | 2,209 | 4,860 | 45.5% |
| China | 2,128 | 2,519 | 84.5% |
| Canada | 1,585 | 3,376 | 46.9% |
| Brazil | 559 | 637 | 87.8% |
| Colombia | 263 | 419 | 62.8% |
| Guatemala | 195 | 269 | 72.5% |
| Dominican Republic | 187 | 267 | 70.0% |
| United Kingdom | 176 | 321 | 54.8% |
| Jamaica | 120 | 149 | 80.5% |
Conclusion
As the data on decisions made by officials at U.S. ports of entry show, inadmissibility determinations have allowed a growing number of individuals to temporarily enter and reside in the U.S. without formal admission, usually for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. To dig further into all the details, by nationality, time period, age, gender and field office, use TRAC’s online tool, "Stopping "Inadmissibles" at U.S. Ports of Entry".