By Ian McKinney, Cronkite News

Photo, left: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, backed by fellow Democrats on Monday, criticizes a Republican plan to open impeachment hearings this week against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. With Jeffries, from left, are Reps. Lou Correa of California, Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, Dan Goldman of New York and Glenn Ivey of Maryland. (Photo by Ian McKinney/Cronkite News)

January 30, 2024 (Washington, D.C.) -- Border officials said they encountered more than 300,000 migrants at the southern border in December, setting a one-month record that pushed the total for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 to 785,422.

The continuing surge in migrants comes as debate on immigration is heating up in Washington. Senators this week are expected to unveil a sweeping, bipartisan immigration reform bill that is already being called “dead on arrival” in the House, where a committee is set to start impeachment proceedings Tuesday against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.