Over the past week, the Border Patrol has experienced a significant decline in the number of apprehensions, making fewer than 1,800 per day. This decline is attributed to the implementation of new asylum restrictions that have significantly reduced humanitarian protections for individuals who cross the border illegally.
New data from the Department of Homeland Security reveals that there has been a 55% decrease in migrant encounters at the southern border since the restrictions were implemented seven weeks ago.
In June, the Border Patrol recorded 83,536 apprehensions, marking the lowest number of apprehensions since President Biden assumed office in January 2021.
According to DHS officials, their strategy involves a two-pronged approach that focuses on both enhanced enforcement measures and the introduction of fresh legal migration alternatives. These measures, which were unveiled at the start of the previous month, effectively prohibited asylum for individuals who entered the United States illegally. However, the administration still accepts a restricted number of pre-screened migrants for asylum processing at ports of entry.
According to a senior official from Customs and Border Protection, the recent success is the result of a long-term effort to strengthen both aspects of the organization. “We are now reaping the rewards of this years-long endeavor,” the official stated.
Since the beginning of our efforts, we have been focused on enhancing both border enforcement and access to legal pathways, as stated by the official.
According to the official, the White House has been actively involved in developing the strategy that has led to a significant decrease in illegal border crossings. Even Vice President Kamala Harris has been directly involved in this effort.
“We have made significant progress in achieving positive impacts, and we are committed to enhancing them. Our focus is to intensify our efforts and collaborate with our foreign partners to strengthen border enforcement and disrupt the current patterns of migration to our borders.”
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), they have been actively carrying out deportation efforts with the removal or voluntary return of 65,000 individuals to over 125 countries. They have also conducted more than 200 international repatriation flights in recent weeks. DHS officials have reported a 70% decline in the number of individuals released into the U.S. while awaiting deportation proceedings.
According to a senior official from CBP, while the San Diego region still experiences the highest level of migrant encounters compared to other border regions, the numbers have decreased by 60% in recent weeks.
