The data you cited reflects a grim reality: the U.S.-Mexico border has become one of the deadliest migration routes in the world. The nearly 750 reported deaths with one month remaining in the fiscal year was, at the time, a record high. The final official figure for fiscal year 2022 was even higher, at 895 deaths, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The number of deaths has been a growing concern, with each year since 2020 setting a new record. Migrant advocates attribute this to a combination of factors:

The dangerous terrain and extreme heat in parts of the border region, such as the deserts of Arizona and Texas, pose life-threatening risks.As you mentioned, policies like Title 42 often forced migrants to take more dangerous, clandestine routes to avoid official ports of entry. This public health order, which was in effect from March 2020 to May 2023, allowed border officials to quickly expel migrants. Its enforcement often pushed individuals to attempt crossings in remote and deadly areas, increasing the risk of heatstroke, dehydration, and other fatal incidents.
Human smuggling operations often put migrants in life-threatening situations, as seen in the San Antonio tractor-trailer tragedy where 53 people died from overheating.

The U.S. does have the largest international migrant population in the world, with over 51 million migrants as of the most recent data. This figure is significantly higher than the next largest populations in Germany (around 16 million) and Saudi Arabia (around 13 million).