Trump Administration's victories on border security, immigrations: Border Watch with Jonathan Mejia
FOX 26's Jonathan Mejia Border Watch with Jonathan Mejia newsletter
Dear Border Watchers,
President Donald Trump and his administration continue to count victories when it comes to border security and immigration.
The number of migrants crossing the southern border illegally in Trump’s first full month in office has plunged to a level not seen in at least 25 years, according to government data.
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In a post on Truth Social, Trump said:
"There were only 8,326 apprehensions of Illegals by Border Patrol at the U.S. - Mexico Border, all of whom were quickly ejected from our Nation or, when necessary, prosecuted for crimes against the United States of America. This means that very few people came – The Invasion of our Country is OVER."
The downward trend of illegal crossings at the border can be attributed to Trump and his administration’s changes at the border. However, the numbers have been dropping over the past year, including under the Biden administration, after spiking to an all-time high in late 2023.
The decline first began in early 2024 after Mexican officials expanded efforts to stop migrants from reaching the U.S. border. The decline accelerated further in the summer of 2024 following former President Biden's move to sharply restrict access to the asylum system.
But the reduction in illegal crossings has been exceptional since Trump's inauguration.
In January, Border Patrol agents at the Mexican border recorded 29,000 apprehensions, down 38% from 47,000 in December. The drop from January to February was even more dramatic, amounting to a roughly 70% decrease.
Trump administration officials have credited their sweeping, government-wide immigration crackdown for the dramatic decrease.
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At the U.S.-Mexico border, the Trump administration has empowered federal officials to swiftly deport migrants without hearing their asylum claims, under the premise that the country is facing an invasion.
Trump has also directed the American military to help with immigration enforcement, deploying thousands of additional troops to the southern border and tasking military planes with deporting migrants.
These are changes Trump campaigned on and said he would implement on day one of his presidency.
As I wrote in last week’s newsletter, things at the border are in constant flux. There are waves when crossings are low and times when crossings spike. Smugglers adapt to conditions on the ground and find other ways to get migrants into the country. At the end of the day, it’s a business for cartels.
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