the problem is there is no definitive number, because border patrol has no idea the numbers of "got aways" either overland at the southern and northern border. Secondly, the census doesn't account for illegal aliens in exact detail, and that number is just an extrapolation of sketchy data (who is gonna answer the surveys if they are illegal)
I can give you the southern border number during the snapshot of the Biden horde.
10.3 million direct encounters by Border patrol of illegal crossers
3-4 million "got aways" reported by Border patrol of illegal crossers
those numbers do not include Visa overstays (massive), boats over sea lanes (Florida, Cali, Texas), the northern rat lines of illegal alien trafficking (check out the flow through Maine and Vermont), flights of illegals by Biden (HHS/DHS), illegal crossings of groups that have/had TPS status
the admin has reported (said) the Biden 4 year horde was in the 20-25 million range of illegal entry. I just had the Southern border numbers since it was so staggering, but knew about the other vectors.
now - we hold that number and go into the pre-biden amount of illegal aliens living in the US. that number through extrapolation ranges between 15-30 MILLION illegals are already here, no one knows for sure, because even that population was in flux. There have been posts by congress critters saying the number ranges between 18-20 million (there is a bill to get them legally working, which sparked a debate/war about it and the numbers)
The 100 million number that has been popping up, which I am scratching my head on, started with Gregory Bovino, retired commander-at-large. I REALLY wish he released gov docs showing this, or where the public could pull this information from, because its double what the largest hypothetical guesstimate numbers were in late 2024 early 2025
Numbers posted here, or reported on by "News" hardly ever denote time frame, sourcing or even wtf mass group if illegal aliens they are talking about, these numbers are reported, and the poster has zero idea where it is from and if that is the total, a group, or wtfever. Does not help that large percent do not even use legal distinctions and just call them "migrants" or "immigrants", which obfuscate their real status, which is a massive propaganda problem. Big difference between a person that crosses illegally into texas, a temporary seasonal foreign worker, a H1B visa, or a green card holder (LEGAL immigrant)
next problem is classification, video below shows a mass mob of Haitians crossing into the US illegally. Two problems, Haitians were under Refugee (TPS) classification at this point, so are these illegals or are they refugees? (that refugee/TPS goes back 15 years to an earthquake, and should been pulled a decade ago. Think Clinton foundation controversy with haiti, ya, that old)
Second, these haitians were directly NOT from Haiti, they were from Peru and Chili, they had refugeed there, but decided to make a run for our border for better free stuff (15,000 )
and finally, the massive asylum scam that happened at the southern border with illegal crossers. These individuals all played the game, and jammed up the immigration court by "claiming asylum" (just have to touch US soil) and then they were released into the country. Are they illegally here? (yes) are they scamming the system? (yes) the 90% rejection rate is showing the scam for what it is. This whole mess takes me like 45-50 mins to explain in detail on what happened during Biden. (photo is of a summons for first appearance in asylum court, the photo was taken in 2023, the date is 8 YEARS in the future)
sorta sorry for the length, but this is why you are seeing wildly different numbers, and is NOT posted about offen.