WASHINGTON, Feb 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. Border Patrol reported that 29,000 individuals were arrested for illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in January, suggesting that the decrease in crossings seen over the past year could be ongoing during President Donald Trump's administration.
The number of arrests in January was the lowest since May 2020, a significant drop from 47,000 in December, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Upon assuming office on January 20, Trump, a Republican, initiated a crackdown on illegal immigration by deploying additional military personnel to aid in border security and preventing migrants from seeking asylum. Concurrently, measures were taken against migrants already present in the U.S.
Meanwhile, former President Joe Biden, a Democrat, faced a surge in the number of migrants apprehended while crossing the border, peaking at 250,000 arrests in December 2023.
In June 2024, Biden restricted the ability of migrants to claim asylum after crossing illegally and collaborated with other nations to curb unauthorized immigration, resulting in a sharp decrease in arrests. Additionally, Biden implemented initiatives aimed at discouraging illegal border crossings.
Pete Flores, the acting CBP commissioner, noted that the decline in border apprehensions during January has enabled more officers and agents to focus on enforcement duties that enhance border security and national safety.
The decline in migrant arrests in January occurred as Trump terminated several of Biden's legal entry initiatives, including a program that permitted migrants in Mexico to use an app called CBP One to schedule appointments for legal entry.
The abrupt discontinuation of the app-based program left migrants with existing appointments uncertain about their next steps.