In a noteworthy development, the United States reported a substantial 39% decrease in arrests for illegal crossings along its southern border in January compared to the previous month. This decline, highlighted by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, marks the lowest arrest figures since May 2020, a period marked by the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Border Patrol recorded just 21,593 arrests in January, a stark contrast to the 47,316 arrests noted in December.
The White House attributed this decline to what it termed the ‘Trump Effect.’ Arrest numbers had already begun to fall before President Trump’s inauguration, with a record high of 250,000 arrests registered in December 2023. This trend corresponded with intensified border monitoring efforts by Mexican authorities and stringent asylum restrictions implemented by then-President Joe Biden in June.
Following Trump’s assumption of office on January 20, the downward trend in arrests continued, aided by his swift executive orders targeting immigration. One notable order included the suspension of asylum claims under the assertion that the country faced an ‘invasion’ at the southern border.
Trump’s Border Czar, Tom Homan, reported observing just 229 arrests within a 24-hour span, the lowest daily number he recalls since beginning his career as a Border Patrol agent in 1984. Homeland Security officials have set their sights on reducing this figure to zero, signaling a robust approach to border control.
In an effort to further curb illegal immigration, the Department of Homeland Security unveiled a multi-million dollar video campaign internationally. In these videos, Secretary Kristi Noem cautions potential migrants against coming to the U.S. illegally, warning, ‘If you’re here illegally, we will find you and deport you. You’ll never return.’ This aggressive messaging is part of the broader strategy to manage the border crisis.
The sharp reduction in border arrests signals a pivotal shift in the U.S.’s handling of immigration, underscoring the immediate impact of new policies.
