Illegal Border Crossings Drop Dramatically Under Trump Administration

In President Trump's first month, unauthorized entries at the southern border plummeted to their lowest in a quarter-century, according to preliminary federal data shared with CBS News.

Border Patrol reported around 8,450 apprehensions of individuals entering the country illegally at the U.S.-Mexico frontier outside designated entry points in the past month.

During previous periods of increased illegal crossings, particularly under President Biden's administration, single-day apprehensions sometimes surpassed 8,000.

February's numbers, subject to revision upon official release, mark the lowest monthly total recorded since fiscal 2000. Typically, final figures align closely with these initial estimates.

In the past 25 years, a monthly apprehension count comparable to February's only occurred in April 2017, when about 11,000 migrants were detained at the southwestern border.

Data from before fiscal 2000 isn’t publicly accessible, but the last time Border Patrol averaged around 8,000 monthly apprehensions for an entire year was in 1968.

Illegal movements at the southern border have shown a downward trajectory over the past year, resurging to a peak during late 2023 before declining again, also during the Biden administration.

These numbers initially dipped in early 2024, following Mexico's increased interventions to reduce migrant flows, and continued to decrease after Biden's severe restrictions on asylum access.

The most pronounced drop, however, coincided with Trump’s assumption of office. In January, 29,000 apprehensions were recorded at the Mexican frontier, marking a 38% drop from the 47,000 noted in December, with a further 70% reduction observed by February.

Trump administration officials attribute this steep decline to a comprehensive immigration crackdown.

Policies at the U.S.-Mexico boundary under Trump allowed for expedited deportations, bypassing asylum hearings by designating the influx as an 'invasion.'

U.S. law generally permits migrants on American soil to claim asylum to delay deportation. Officials under Trump have posited that many exploit this system without having valid asylum claims.

The Trump era saw military deployment to the border, with thousands of troops and aircraft used in deportation efforts—an approach characterized by its stringent restrictions compared to Biden’s tenure.

Unlike Biden, Trump's policies did not notably facilitate asylum applications at sanctioned border crossings, dismantling a system previously supported by Biden's administration using a government app.

An additional policy consideration involves invoking Title 42 of public health legislation to expel migrants, citing potential public health risks from diseases like tuberculosis.

Future patterns of migrant entries into the U.S. remain uncertain; historically, there is a seasonal upturn in springtime.

While Trump's drastic measures have shown effects at the border, similar efforts inside the U.S., including promises of mass deportations, have faced hurdles.

Recent weeks have seen significant leadership changes within Immigration and Customs Enforcement amid concerns over the agency's arrest and deportation rates.

ICE currently operates beyond its expected capacity. As of a recent report, detention centers house over 45,000 migrants, exceeding capacity by 17%, with approximately 20,000 of these individuals apprehended initially at the border.