political attack from both the right and the left. lawsuits have been filed as a result, but so far the administration s latest moves appear to have deterred the record migrant rush many had feared following the expiration of title 42. government data obtained by cbs news shows 4,200 people on saturday crossed the southern border. 6,300 on friday. that s compared to these numbers before title 42 expired thursday just before midnight. cbs s skyler henry is at the white house with more on what s next. skyler, good evening. reporter: jericka, good to see you. immigration officials say despite the lack of a spike, the border is still seeing historically high migration levels. we ve been planning for this transition for months and months. reporter: homeland security secretary alejandro mayorkas says it s too early to tell whether the numbers at the southern border have peaked. the numbers we have experienced over the past two
el paso, cnn s arlette saenz is at the white house. arlette, what are you hearing from the administration right now as everyone is trying to figure out what really is going on at the border now? reporter: well, kate, president biden said that the situation at the border is going better than expected after he himself had warned that things could be chaotic down there for quite some time. this comes after president homeland security secretary alejandro mayorkas noted that there has about a drop in the number of border encounters since the lifting of title 42. if you take a look at the numbers from saturday there are 4,200 border encounters, friday that figure was at 6,300 compared to just before title 42 lifted when they were seeing about daily encounters around 10,000. but ultimately the administration is crediting their plans and the messaging that they ve sent to migrants as part of the reason that they ve seen these lower border encounter numbers. take a listen to what secretary ma
after he, himself, had predicted a chaotic few days of the lifting of title 42. now, the biden administration has been out thing the fact that there has been a drop in the number of border encounters since title 42 ended. take a look at the numbers. on saturday, 4,200 encounters at the border, and friday, 6,300, and compared to just before title 42 lifted when the number of border encounters were hovering around 10,000. we are expecting to receive an update shortly from department of homeland security about the situation down at the border. but you heard yesterday, the homeland security secretary alejandro mayorkas trying to argue that the plans and the messaging that the administration had put in place in lead-up to the lifting of title 42 has led to some of the drop in the encounters. take a listen. we have communicated very clearly a vitally important message to the individuals who
title 42. what are the numbers? 5,000? so we have seen, i think, approximately 6,300 on friday and about 4,200 yesterday. by the united states border patrol. and we saw over 10,000 before the end of title 42 earlier last week. why do you think that is? because we have communicated very clearly a vitally important message to the individuals who are thinking of arriving at our southern border. there is a lawful, safe, and orderly way to arrive in the united states that is through the pathways that president biden has expanded in an unprecedented way. and then there s a consequence if one does not use those lawful pathways. and that consequence is removal from the united states, a deportation, and encountering a five-year ban on reentry and possible criminal prosecution.
so it s too early to say whether the surge has peaked? it is it is too early, but the numbers that we have experienced over the past two days are marketedly down over what they were prior to the end of title 42. what are the numbers? 5,000? so we have seen, i think approximately 6300 on friday and about 4200 yesterday by the united states border patrol and we saw over 10,000 before the end of title 42 earlier last week. why do you think that is? because we have communicated very clearly a vitally important message to the individuals who are thinking of arriving at our southern border. there is a lawful, safe and orderly way to arrive in the united states that is through the pathways that president biden has expanded in an unprecedented way and then there s a consequence if one does not use those lawful