The number of illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border has dropped to its lowest level in four years, with 46,610 people stopped between ports of entry in November, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The agency said the number of illegal border crossings dropped 18% that month from the previous month, the lowest level since July 2020.
“Our increased enforcement efforts in recent months, combined with administrative actions and coordination with Mexico and Central American countries, are producing sustained, effective results,” said Acting U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Troy A. Miller. influence of meaning.
The Department of Homeland Security evacuated more than 240,000 people between June and November, according to the agency. The department also evacuated more than 700,000 people from the country in fiscal 2024, more than in any year since 2010.
The numbers represent something of a shift from the Biden administration, which faced major political backlash over a surge in illegal border crossings early in his term. Trump lashed out at Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the price increases.
Immigration experts attribute the decline in border encounters — where people no longer attempt to cross zones between ports of entry — to a variety of factors, including what they call the current administration’s “carrot and stick” policies.
Under the Biden administration, officials have encouraged migrants to turn themselves in at ports of entry and launched apps to make appointments as they travel through Mexico. It also blocks illegal entry between ports of entry, stating that those trying to enter the country this way are ineligible for asylum.
The sharp drop comes just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sworn in, making his administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigration a top priority. During the campaign, Trump and his top advisers described the southern border as out of control and an “invasion” and promised mass deportations.
In an interview with Time magazine, Trump vowed to mobilize the military to help deport millions of undocumented immigrants.
“We have unprecedented and record-breaking levels of personnel,” Trump said. “I will do what the law allows. I think there are a lot of situations where the sheriffs and law enforcement are going to need help. We’re also going to get National Guard. We’re going to send out the National Guard and we’re going to do whatever we can.
However, recent border crossing data paints a slightly different picture.
Local Border Patrol agents have reported a drop in crossings over the past seven months, with a 60% decrease between May and November, according to the agency.
Officials at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have also claimed that the number of people processing deportations has doubled in recent months.
Michelle Mittelstadt, a spokesperson for the Migration Policy Institute, said the CBP One app allows migrants passing through Mexico to make appointments at ports of entry, discouraging them from trying to enter the country through the desert to avoid U.S. Discovery by Customs and Border Patrol agents.
The government also issued an order making illegal border crossers ineligible for asylum and encouraged the governments of Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica to tighten immigration controls in their countries.
“November showed for the first time that the majority of encounters were with migrants arriving at ports of entry rather than being intercepted after crossing without authorization, proving that this carrot-and-stick approach is working,” Mittelstadt said.
Despite fewer border conflicts, the incoming Trump administration continues to promise an aggressive stance on deportations, with some threatening sanctuary cities and states with consequences if they stand in the way.
Tom Homan, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the first Trump administration and a second-term “border czar” appointee, has called for increased workplace raids.
He told Fox News that cities that refuse to help federal immigration agencies could face criminal charges.
“If you knowingly conceal or harbor an illegal alien from a police officer, that is a felony,” he said.
Marisa Cianciarulo, dean of Western State College of Law in Irvine and an expert on immigration and refugee law, said memories of family separations and detentions during the first Trump administration and the recent threat of mass deportations , may also be hindering immigration.
“I think we’re seeing a preemptive reaction to the new administration,” she said. “They’re scared and anxious and they’re looking for other ways to feed their families.”
Trump’s incoming deputy chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller, also sent letters to some California officials, cities and counties, warning them of possible consequences if they interfere with immigration enforcement.
In September, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Bonsall) and other members of the House Judiciary Committee held a live hearing on the border crisis in San Diego County, inviting the mayors of Santee and Chula Vista, law enforcement officials and residents Provide testimony.
Issa, whose district includes much of San Diego County, said in his opening statement that while there are people seeking asylum legally and working to enter the United States legally, millions of people still enter the country illegally.
“Our goal is to restore the rule of law and recognize that we can have legal immigration in our country, but only if we can control our borders,” he said.
Issa could not immediately be reached for comment.
During the hearing, Santee Mayor John Minto said the Biden-Harris administration’s approach to border security and immigration affects not only the state but also San Diego County, which is at the forefront of the problem. He said that between September 2023 and May 2024, San Diego County received as many as 154,000 immigrants released from the streets, many of whom were loaded onto carts and sent to the eastern part of the county.
“These unofficial figures highlight the unprecedented scale of the border crisis in the region,” he said. “The influx of migrants has depleted local resources, including overcrowding local hospitals, prompting coordinated action by San Diego County officials that includes federal, state and regional support.”
Minto could not immediately be reached for comment.
Earlier this month, San Diego County passed a new policy prohibiting jail officials from cooperating with immigration officials in any way.
The policy goes beyond the state’s current law, which allows local jurisdictions to notify immigration officials when people convicted of certain violent or sexual felonies are about to be released from prison. Under the new policy, San Diego will not provide release dates to federal officials.
The policy sparked a standoff between the county supervisor and the San Diego County Sheriff, who said she would continue to cooperate with federal immigration officials as allowed by state law.
California officials expect to clash with the new administration. California Attorney. Gen. Rob Bonta called Miller’s letter from America’s First Lawyer an “intimidation tactic.” Bonta said the state is preparing for a legal challenge.
But Cianciarulo warned that punitive policies targeting immigrants often have only temporary effects. If economic and political factors force people to leave their home countries and they are attracted by job prospects in the United States, immigrants will eventually take risks.
“No matter how strict and punitive the laws are, we still have to come back to the fact that immigration is an economic reality,” Cianciarulo said. “[Migration] This is not an emotional decision.
